Beauty and Battousai HIATUS
by spirit-mage-234
Summary: Himura Kenshin is a killer with the demon Battousai sealed within him. He is bound to the demon and the employers who enforce his curse until he falls in love and they love him back. Will Kamiya Kaoru, an abandoned & abused beauty, be the one to free him?
1. Prologue: Through Kenshin's eyes

Presenting my first AU RK fanfic. If you read the preview in my other work, "The Unkept Memory" you already have an understanding. It mixes the elements of two fairy tales together (Guess which ones. They're pretty obvious.). I just hope it will make sense in the end.

**In a perfect world, Rurouni Kenshin would belong to me. Unfortunately, this world sucks, so it still belongs to Watsuki.**

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* * *

The moon looks so beautiful as it's waxing. Soon it will be full, complete. Someday I hope to be that way too. _

_But I know that is very doubtful. _

_As long as I have this demon, the Battousai, sealed within me, I will never be a complete human. I will always be seen as a perfect killing machine by my employers. I will always be bound to do their bidding. To do their crimes. To do their murder. I will always see more crimson than light, more death than life, more grief than happiness. Grief caused by my hands._

_There is a glimmer of hope for this one. If I find love and they love me back, I will be free of these amber eyes of death, free to live my life with my beloved at side. Free to never having to kill again._

_But again that is very doubtful._

_Who would want to touch the blood-stained hands of a killer? Who would be able to gaze into these amber eyes and not be appaled? Who would want to recieve an embrace of comfort from a man who strikes their very fears into their heart?_

_Who would want to fall in love with a demon like me?_

_I often think these thoughts when I'm in my room alone. My big empty room. It's odd that a person like me has other people under my roof. But the house that I call my home is so big that I hardly see them. It's not as though they are considered my friends. They probably fear me just as much as my employers do. I imagine that they avoid me on purpose..._

_I try to close my eyes and drift away into my dream state. Sleep is the only thing I look forward to in my days. It is my only escape from the bloodshed that I cause. Unless, of course, I have the blood drenched nightmares. If I am lucky, I will not be reminded by my crimes by hearing the screams of my victims or see their faces, and instead I will have that dream again; the dream of that young woman. Maybe this time, I will be able to reach her and finally see her face..._

_But before I could dream, I heard the two words that I hated to hear most:_

_"Himura-san, assignment." _

_I opened my eyes to see a figure standing in the doorway, blocking the moonlight that was bathing my body. No doubt a henchman of Kogoro Katsura - my employer. In his hand he held the dreaded black envelope: the omen of death for the unfortunate soul who had their name written on the white sheet of paper concealed inside. He flung it at me and I caught it. Just as he turned to disappear, he spoke to me._

_"We're counting on you to take care of the job, Battousai."_

They're always counting on me, _I thought as I pulled on my gi. There would be no dreams tonight, for my hands will reak of blood tonight, which will induce my nightmares. As I gathered my swords, I opened the in envelope to see the name of my victim. _

_"Hiruma Kihei."_

_I remember Katsura mentioning him. Apparently another drunken gambler who owed Katsura money. How I hated cleaning up after their messes. I looked at the information sheet that accompanied the name. This Kihei character was last seen in a nearby red-light district in Kyoto..._

_As I pulled on my jacket and adjust my hair, I looked back once more at my large and lonely room, before turning to proceed into the darkness._

_My real name is Himura Kenshin, but nobody knows of my real name. Nobody knows of it, because all they see are the amber eyes of the demon, the Battousai._

_I will always be known as _Hitokiri Battousai.


	2. Prologue: Through Kaoru's eyes

_There is only one light in the sky tonight: the moon. It is not full, but it still shines so happily. It is not full, but it still has its friends, the stars. _

_I find myself envying the moon sometimes. Even a body with no emotions seem to have a more purposeful life than mine. The moon fills people's hearts with glee when they dance under it during the Gion Festival, and fills people's hearts with hope that there is light in the darkness. I've always dreamed of going to the Gion Festival, and I wish that there was a light in my darkness. But I know that neither will come true._

_Not as long as I live with _him.

_The shanty apartment that I was walking to and the man living there whom I had to refer to as "father" are the only home and family I know, though deep within me, I know that to be false. _

_I often hear a gentle, female voice calling my name, in the back of my head or in the wind..._

_But nobody's there._

_I look up at the moon. It is still rising. I have to get home soon, before the streets become more dangerous. And hopefully before _he_ gets home. Anything will set that man off, whether I come home two minutes late, or if I spill a glass of water. No matter how small the accident, I always recieve the same thing: a beating. Every other night _he _hits me in some way. Most of the time _he_ is already enraged, after gambling his money away in the red-light district; most of the money _he_ gambles is my hard-earned money. _He_ won't ever let me keep all of it. Seeing me is the trigger for his behavior. _

_I rub the back of my neck and flinch it in pain when my finger simply glides on my skin. Another bruise I recieved the night before. Ms.Tae, my boss, noticed it today. She asked me what caused me to get such a discolored bruise. I gave her the same excuse: I accidently walked in on the middle of a child's baseball game and I got whacked with the ball. That or I fell. _

_I'm starting to think those excuses are getting old._

_Ms.Tae know that I'm lying. She sees it in my cerulean eyes. She frowns at me whenever I give her the same regurgitated excuse, but I know that she's only worried about me. She already knows that I have a troubled home life, and has often suggested that I move in with her at the Akebeko. I love Ms. Tae and her kindness. But I know that _he _will never let me. _He_ never lets me out of the apartment unless I go to work. The only friends I have are the friends at my workplace: Ms.Tae and Tsubame. Other than that, I have no meaning in life other than to come home from work, cook and clean, and recieve and scolding and a beating for no reason at all. _

_I loose hope that I will never escape from this place._

_But still, I continue to wish upon the moon and the stars every night. It's always the same wishes._

_I wish to be able to leave this horrible life and never come back._

_I wish to have freedom._

_I wish to find people who will brighten my day._

_I wish to be of importance to someone, so that my life will have a meaning._

_Those are my four standard wishes. Though I say these wishes in my head, there is still one wish that I always wish for in the back of my head, since my conscience considers it a selfish wish._

_I wish that I will meet a man._

_A strong man that will be kind to me. _

_A strong man that will embrace me. _

_A strong man that will kiss me passionately. _

_A strong man that will protect me from harm. _

_A strong man that will love me._

_My name is Kamiya Kaoru, and as I walk along the abandoned road under the waxing moon, I remind myself that my wishes will never come true._

_But I wish anyway._


	3. Stalked

A/n: In case you haven't already noticed, italics indicate Kenshin/Kaoru's thoughts. 

That is all.

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* * *

_

_I saw him. My victim of the night. Hiruma Kihei. This man was not a pleasant sight to set eyes on, even for my amber eyes. He was fumbling around aimlessly due to intoxication. He won't be hard to eliminate due to his drunken state and overweight physique. I try to tell myself that the world would be glad to be rid of a cumbersome lumax like him. _

_I shake my head. This is the demon telling me these things. No matter how much of a pathetic human they may be, I wish to never take lives. _

_But I must kill him, not for Katsura, but for the demon. If I don't, the Battousai will die a little more from lack of bloodlust, and in turn, I will die a little more too._

_Perhaps it is a good thing if I die if I starve this parasite to death. At least I will be rid of him, and I will be at peace..._

_I set my personal thoughts aside, as I begin to stalk my victim in the shadows..._

Cold and wet was what described that night. No one would want to be caught dead in the middle of a cold lonely street at this time of night, but the precarious and rampant nightlife continued in the streets of Kyoto. The laughing, music, and the lights seem very friendly and inviting, which they are.

During the evening.

As the evening drags into night, the nightlife turns into a very different scene. Beautifully adorned geisha with elaborately tied obi turn into disreputable prostitutes, with their obi simply tied in the front instead of the back. Business partners who decided to drop by a bar to enjoy some sake turned into clumsly drunkards who would grope anybody who came into their range. Perhaps the worst were the shadowy allies that were home to sleuths of gamblers, opium dealers, muggers, rapists, thugs, and, serial killers.

But that was the last thing that was on Hiruma Kihei's mind as he stumbled out of the doorway of a gambler's layer, or, to be precise, he was thrown out. A shifty eyed man with a bokken yelled to the fallen oaf from the doorway. "If you don't got nothin to put up for grabs, next time it'll be your ass old man!" As the door slammed behind him, Kihei gathered his belonging (which were the clothes on his back), and fumbled along the streets.

"Damn, I got to get more money soon," he grumbled to himself as he walked down the lonely, cold street. "If I don't, Katsura and his gang will be sure to come soon. And-" Kihei didn't even want to think what Katsura and his thugs would do to him if he didn't repay his debt soon. He was desperate for money in order to avoid that faith. Apparently, he was not desperate enough to hold down a decent job for more than a month. The only people who managed to pour in a little money into his funds was Kaoru, who worked part time at a local restaurant called the Akebeko. He grunted as he thought of her.

"Damn wench," Kihei said under his breath. "I bet I wouldn't be in this deep of a situation if I didn't have that little slut living under my roof. Oh well, it's nice to keep someone who is practically next to a slave around. She might come in more use in the future..." He pondered about his financial situation and how to solve it. Kaoru was too old to be sold as a geisha, but there were a lot of brothels around that were looking for a young girl of Kaoru's physique. She could attract a lot of worthy customers and bring in a few thousand yen a night. Perhaps...

His thoughts stopped when Kihei felt an uneasiness around him. And uneasiness that was usually associated with muggers. But this was more, malignant. Whoever was stalking Kihei was stalking him: solely for his life.

He searched his surrounding nervously. Nobody in sight. It was quiet. Too quiet. Kihei gulped and continued to walk forward. I'm just making myself nervous, he thought to himself. There's nobody he-

Soft footsteps were heard. They were faint, but there nontheless. Kihei turned around quickly. Nobody. But he continued to hear them approaching. As his hands began to violently tremble, Kihei unknotted the knot in his throat and decided to speak out. "Who's there!?" he shouted. He recieved no answer, but the footsteps continued. Kihei stood as still as can be, and tried to listen to the ascending footsteps. They were coming closer. He squinted down the road in an attempt to spot his assailent in the distance. At first the mist of the night stunted all visibilty. But then, to Kihei's horror, slowly appeared a figure of a man. The figure stopped when he took notice to Kihei's actions.

It didn't take him long to speed down the road in terror, looking for shelter. He banged on doors that were looked, came against walls with no openings, all the while the man in the mist edging closer to him. In a final resort, Kihei ran down a nearby alley, praying that there would be an exit at the end. As he ran, he tripped on a broken crate, which severly halted his escaped time, due to his weight and shortness of breath.

Then the foot steps stopped...

...And a voice emerged.

"Hiruma Kihei," the voice from behind him announced. Kihei trembled as he slowly turned around to face the source of the voice. There behind him stood a man, who was rather short in stature, but still struck fear into the eyes of his victims with his crimson hair -which was in a high ponytail - and amber eyes.

The man drew his blade.

"I have nothing personal against you, but you must die."

Kihei's heart raced. His eyes widen as he tried to run further into the alley, only to be stopped by the man's voice again. "There's no use running," he said. "There's a dead-end straight ahead."

"Wh-why are you after me?" Kihei asked with a tremble in his voice. The man stared at Kihei, without the faintest sign of emotion in his frightening amber eyes. He spoke. "As I said before, I am not personally after you. I was sent by my employer. Whatever business you have with him is none of my concern in particular," the man said, pursing his lips before he decided to speak again, "but I was briefly informed that you were unable to pay your gambler's debt." The man flicked his sword toward Kihei. "Now, you must pay for your debts - with your life."

Kihei dropped to his knees and began to weep. "Please! Please don't kill me! I beg of you! I'll give you all of the money I have." The man looked down irratably as his assignment bawled into the wet sewage of the alley. This man's disgraceful will to live, is sickening, he thought, raising his katana preparing to strick. "My employer sent me to collect your life, not your debt. Unless you have some equal form of callatoral, your life will not be spared," he said briskly. He waited briefly for an answer from Kihei, who continued to cry uncontrolably, but recieved no audible response.

_This is it_, Kihei thought, _karma finally found my ass_. As the blade began to cut through the air, a thought hit Kihei's head.

_Wait..._ he thought. _He said EQUAL callateral. What about the girl? Kaoru?_

"Wait!" he yelled, just before the man's sword made contact with his spine. "I have a proposition!" Kihei glanced up, and saw that the assassin's amber eyes were still on him, but glanced to the side for a split second, as if he was taking a second thought.

"I'm listening."

Kihei began to stutter as he opened his mouth to speak. "Y-you see. I-I don't have the m-m-money, but I do have one thing that's of equal worth: A daughter." The assassin's eyes widened. "A daughter, you say?"

"Y-yes! Seventeen she is. She's intelligent, skilled - not to mention that she is considered quite beautiful where we live," Kihei reinforced. The crimson haired assassin began to ponder the situation over. "And you are sure that you are willing to give up your daughter's freedom for your own life?" Kihei quickly nodded. The assassin edged the tip of his blade to Kihei's pudgy cheek. He flinched when the cold tip tapped him three times. "Though I do not have the final say in your daughter's fate, I will take you up on your offer." And with that, he returned his sword to its sheath.

Kihei was estatic. "Oh thank you!" he groveled, edging himself closer and closer to the assassin's feet. His fat nose met with a hard kick from the assassin's foot. "DON'T touch me, you swine," the assassin commanded, his eyes having a lethal look upon Kihei's dispicable figure. "You may have weaseled your way out of this, but if my employer ever send me in your direction again-" he flicked the hilt of his sword. "-I will not hesitate to eliminate you."

The gaze from the assassin's amber eyes sent Kihei into a state of shock, almost making him foam at the mouth. As he cowarded to the slippery alley ground once more, the assassin gracefully turned around, proceeding to collect the "collateral."

"Wait one moment!" He heard from behind him. The man stopped without looking back.

"Before you leave," Kihei began, "may I ask of your name?"

There was a dead and frightening silence at first, before an even more frightening answer emerged from the assassin's lips as he turned his head around to face the rat's face once more.

"Hitokiri. Battousai."

And as Battousai left the grimy alley, Kihei was left to wallow in his own saliva and tears, petrified at the fact that he came face to face with the most deadly assassin known to man.


	4. Kidnapped

I can't help but notice how much I made Battousai so vampiric like... But since vampires ARE demons...

Sorry if I made Kihei seem a bit ooc. Had to do it.

Some stuff I notice about Rurouni Kenshin fanfics that are becoming the canon of fanon. lol:

- Kaoru wears Jasmine perfume. I thought about this a few months back, that since Tomoe wears plum blossom, Kaoru could wear something equally beautiful smelling. I thought I was being original! ... Then I read, **10+** stories that probably thought they were original too. -- (Unless they mentioned it in the canon and I missed it. . )

- Kaoru's eye color is specifically called "cerulean" and Kenshin's eyes are specifically called "amber."

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* * *

_

_I am finally at home. Luckily I did not run into any trouble tonight, but the night is not over yet._

_As I approach the front door, I brace myself for what's to come, whether the first thing I meet is the lonliness of the apartment, or the cold hand of that man._

_Suddenly, I feel goosebumps trailing down my back._

_I can't help but feel that I'm being watched..._

Kaoru came home at about eleven at night. She often worked overtime at the Akebeko, helping her boss, Ms. Tae to clean up after a busy evening at the popular restaurant in exchange for some extra pay. She need whatever pay possible in order to keep her "father" off of her back.

She pushed open the door to the small two room apartment that Kaoru was unfortunate enough to call, "home." How she hated coming back to this place everyday after work, smelling the stench of alcohol and tobacco smoke left over from Kihei. No matter how much Kaoru tried (Or was forced, since Kihei took no part in house cleaning) to clean up the shabby apartment, it would always revert back to its original state: messy, smelly, gloomy and utterly distasteful in the interior decorating department.

Of course that wasn't the worse thing about living in this hellhole.

Whenever she came home and Kihei was already situated there, guzzling down an entire bottle of sake or scarfing down yakitori, she would sneak toward her room as quietly as possible, to avoid a confrontation, which my either end with Kaoru being severely scolded or being delivered a cold, hard smack across her face.

For doing absolutely nothing.

If she was lucky, Kihei would be out about the red-light district gambling his money - more than likely, her money - away when she got home from the late shift. If so, she would quickly go to her room and lock the door, in case he came home drunk- or worse, with his "posse," which mainly consisted of Kihei ginormous brother, Gohei. He was the biggest brute that she ever saw, and what disturbed her more were the wierd looks he would give Kaoru when she would be unlucky enough to catch his gaze. Sometimes he looked like he wanted to kill her, while sometimes it looked like he, _wanted_ her. When it came to this, Kaoru would lock her door, and sleep with her bokken close to her, if she slept at all. More than likely, she would get a beating in the morning for disobeying Kihei by locking her door, but at least she would be safe for the night.

It has always been like this for Kaoru, for the most part. Most of her life was made up of memories stemmed from sorrow and abuse. If there were any happy memories, they were hidden deep within her mind, nearly unreachable.

Kaoru would always hope that someday, she would be taken away from this horrible place, and given a new life, with somebody who would understand her. Care for her. Protect her. Love her. But with each passing day, it seemed less and less hopeful that she would recieve help from anyone. Her only chance was to raise enough money, and move far away, never to return to Kyoto.

She pushed open the door, to discover to her relief that Kihei hadn't come home yet. Kaoru kicked off her shoes and rushed to her room. She decided to just go to her room instead of taking a shower before retiring for the night. As she locked the door to her room, Kaoru surveyed her dark surroundings. Kaoru's room was the only clean room in the house. It was mostly clean because she barely had any belongings in it.

Her only pieces of furniture were her futon, a lantern, and a dresser, and she only had three prized possession: her bokken - which was supposedly given to her as a "gift" from her "father," Kihei -, her black chiffon and lace skirt and lilac cherry blossom blouse - her only pieces of clothing that fit her and actually made her feel beautiful - and her silk indigo ribbon, the only thing left of her mother. She would guard these treasures with her life if she had to, for these three possessions were all she had.

Since her cerulean eyes were already adjusted to the darkness, Kaoru decided to undress in the dark, with her only source of light coming from the moon, which was waxing. As she undressed, she felt something, like a presence was looking at her through her window. She turned around to see nobody in her window. Just to make sure the voyeur hadn't made an escape toward the ground, Kaoru covered herself with her clothes and approached her window. No one was in sight, on the tree or the ground. _It was probably just an owl, _Kaoru thought as she slipped on her camisole and jersey pajama pants.

As she pulled up her pajama pants, she felt a slight chill on her thigh. She looked down, only to notice that her pajamas had a hole in them, which showed of a part of her unmentionables. "Great," Kaoru said. "Looks like I'm gonna have to scroung up some new pajamas soon." Kaoru proceeded to gently folding her skirt and blouse, when she heard a creak from the hallway. Normally Kaoru would think that it was Kihei fumbling through the hallway drunkedly.

But she knew it wasn't Kihei.

The soft noise was just too quiet for a man like Kihei. She only heard the creak once, but she knew that whateve made the sound was making it's way toward her room. As quietly as she possibly could, Kaoru turned around to her futon's side to grab her bokken. Kaoru wasn't a master of kendo, but she knew just enough to defend herself against an average burglar.

However, Kaoru was about to find out that the man standing in her doorway was no average burglar.

Her heart immediately froze when she saw the black clad, medium height figure standing in her doorway, no more than six or seven feet away from her. The only color she could see on the man were his frightening amber eyes.

Kaoru had wanted to jump and attack the malevolent trespassor as soon as he managed to break down the door. But his amber eyes had a hypnotic affect on Kaoru, which made her whole body freeze.

"Kamiya Kaoru," the figure spoke, snapping Kaoru out of her trance-like state. All she could do was gasp in fright.

"I have nothing against you, but I have come for your freedom."

Kaoru's fear quickly changed into confusion. What was he talking about? Was that some creative way of telling her that he was going to kill her on the spot, or was he going kidnap her and sell her as a slave of -_ pleasure_? Soon, Kaoru's confusion quickly changed to anger.

"What?! Who do you think you are, coming in my room and threatening me?!" she shouted, grasping the hilt of her bokken tightly.

"Oh, I'm not threatening you," the man said. "I'm forcing you."

Kaoru gulped when he said the F-word. She never liked that word, force. Kaoru was forced to stay in this pit with that oaf. That was also the reason why she wasn't about to let this guy intimidate her.

"Listen buddy!" Kaoru exclaimed, "if you want to force me to do anything, you have to come here and get me first!" She raised her bokken, "I won't let you have your way with me that easily."

Hoping to have intimidated the intruder, Kaoru gave him a fierce gaze, meeting with his amber eyes. Instead, he did exactly the opposite. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Oh well," he said, as he began to make his way toward Kaoru, his eyes stilled closed. As he stepped into the moonlight, Kaoru could see the man more clearly.

He was not much taller than she, only about five inches or so. He wore a jet black gi and hakama, but was topped with a long leather jacket instead of a haori. At his side were to swords, obviously to carry out his "work." The man had fiery red hair that was styled in a high ponytail. The last most profound chracteristic of the man was a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. But despite all that, the man did not look menacing, not how Kaoru would picture a burglar at all. He looked quite young (though he might have been older),and with the look of serenity on his face among the white moonlight, the man looked beautiful. Kaoru felt herself blushing and her grasp on her bokken loosening when he saw his face.

Then his eyes opened to reveal fierce amber.

"I guess we'll be doing this the hard way."

Kaoru didn't even have time to re-grasp her bokken and spring forth to attack, because before she even noticed, the man vanished right before her eyes, only to reapparate behind, covering her mouth and punching her in the stomach.

All she could remember was being in the arms of another man before the moonlight disappeared from her eyesight.

* * *

_Battousai tells me to kill her. He tells me that I owe him a life since I spared his prey tonight. _

_He wanted to taste this woman's warm, flowing blood. I can't help but feel that the Battousai has some notion of sadism toward women. If he was to take over my entire body, he would have no shame in beating or raping them. He would do anything to make them suffer, just so long as he was able to drink from her lifeless body through my blade._

_"Do it," he tells me._

_"Kill her."_

_But I cannot bring myself to harm her._

His eyes still a threatening shade of amber, Kenshin looked down at the unconcious girl, whom he temporarily knocked out. His eyes looked like his next move on the girl was a move to end her life, but instead, he said something that no one would ever think to hear coming from a hired assassin.

"I'm sorry, miss," Kenshin apologized as he picked up the slumped girl bridal style. As he made this motion, the silk ribbon that was in her hair unknotted, allowing her long, silky black hair to fall loose, some of it draping to the floor, while the remainding strands wrapped around her bare neck. Kenshin resisted blushing as he looked at her in a vunerable form.

Kenshin didn't like causing harm to women, especially to a girl as beautiful looking as this one, this "Kaoru." Her father was right, she was quite the beauty. Kenshin was starting to doubt that a man with Kihei's appearence could ever find a woman who would be willing to give herself to him, let alone sire a girl like Kaoru. He remembered observing her through the her window only five minutes earlier. Though his eyesight was far superior than a normal persons, he still had trouble seeing into pitch black rooms that didn't have some source of illumination. He was lucky to of had the moon on this particular night. The moonlight made her skin and figure stand out with an angelic radiance. If Kenshin were that kind of lowlife, he could have spent the entire night watching her (Even if he did happen to observe the girl in her state of indecentness. Luckily he was able to camoflage himself amid the nearest shadow before she sw him.).

But he wasn't. He was an assassin: Hitokiri Battousai, the most feared assassin that Japan has ever seen (Not that many people saw him in the act and lived to tell the tale.). And though he lucked out on his original assignment - to assassinate Hiruma Kihei - he had to complete his new assignment: to return the collateral to his employer, Kogoro Katsura.

Kenshin kept his calm yet threatening countenance as he proceeded to walk out of the trash filled apartment. Once he made it toward the hallway, Kenshin felt a draft, sending a tantalizing fragrance up his nostrils. He looked down at Kaoru, and brought a lock of her hair to his nose. He sniffed.

"Hmm. Jasmine," he said reservedly, as he made is way out of the apartment, hoping to never have to step foot in it again.


	5. Trapped

After much brainstorming of the future chapters, I will send a brief warning to the younger readers: the rating WILL go up in later chapters. Could be as early as chapter 8 or 9. I haven't thought it out throughly yet. All I know is that words will be spoken, skin will be shown, actions will be acted, and innocence will be- ok I'll stop.

Woo. Author's note.

-Just so you know, whenever a chapter is focusing on Kaoru in particular, Kensin will be referred to as "the man" or "the red-head" or "the figure." I was plannin on getting Kaoru and Kenshin to properly introduce themselves in this chapter, but it just didn't go along with the chapter, ya know?

Maybe next chapter or somethin...

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* * *

_

_Everything is black. Where am I? I open my eyes, but all I see is black. I call out but all I hear is the echo of my voice. The only thing I can sense is warmth over my body..._

As she languorously opened her eyes, Kaoru couldn't help but feel eerily warm, despite the fact that she was wearing a camisole.

She moaned. "What, happened?"

A clean smell - very different from the smell of tobacco smoke and alcohol that she was use to - caused Kaoru's eyes to widden, as she saw that she was not in her room anymore. She immediately sat up - from a clean, fluffy futon, not lake her lanky futon at all - and investigated her surroundings. Kaoru was in a semi dark room, that apparently was Japanese styled, since the only light in the room came from outside of the shouji. There was only one shouji, and it only lead out into the hallway, not outside. There were no windows; apparently whoever brought her here wasn't intending on letting her out.

_That's right! _Kaoru remembered. _Where did that man go? Did he bring me here?... _

She was starting to remember what happened before she awoke. She remembered that way-to-gorgeous guy in her room, stepping into the moonlight. Kaoru almost blushed when she thought back on it, but stopped when she remembered his frightening amber eyes. And then they disappeared right infront of her, only to reappear behind her, delivering a blow to her gut, causing her to black out.

Then she awoke in a strange room.

_Well now that I have that mystery straigtened out, _Kaoru thought while scratching her head, _now I have to figure out where I am, how to get out, and where that guy went. _

Kaoru mentally slapped herself after he last thought. Why was she concerned about that? As far as she was concerned, Kaoru didn't want to see that man again. He sent chills down her spine for obvious reasons...

Kaoru put her thoughts back on track by completing her first objective, getting out. Kaoru stood up, still wobbly from wooziness, and made her way toward the door quietly, in case there were people out in the hall. She creaked upon the shouji and peered out.

_Perfect! _she thought. _Nobody's outside! Now I just have to make my way out of this place and I'm home fre- _she stopped her thought. What home? Kaoru sure as hell did not want to return to Kihei, nor did she consider that place her home. If there was one thing she had to thank the red-headed man for, it was for taking her away from that horrid place, albeit in a totally unexpected, unorthodox manner. But where would she go from there? Kaoru sighed, deciding that it was best to think about that later and to instead focus on escaping.

But as she slowly began to slide the shouji open, her focus began to dribble away.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Kaoru's heart and body jumped as she turned around, only to see a dark figure with amber eyes leaning against the corner with his arms crossed. _He was there the whole time? _Kaoru thought wide eyed. Kaoru blinked her eyes rapidly in order to get her confidence back. She was not going to let this man domineer her.

"Well as you can already see, I'm planning on going away from here," she answered him confidently. "Now, if you'll excuse me-"

As she began to turn around into the hallway, Kaoru felt a harsh breeze rush past her. She stood astonished when she saw the red-headed man standing two inches in front of her. _How did he?-_

Her thoughts stopped when she found herself gazing into the threatening amber eyes of the man. Kaoru tried to move but found that she couldn't. It was if his eyes had a hypnotic effect on her body, leaving her uttely helpless if he ever wanted to do something to her. The only thing on Kaoru's body that moved was a single drop of sweat.

The man grabbed her by the wrists and shoved her harshly back into the room, allowing her to fall onto the futon. Kaoru staggered up, only to find the man towering above her, glaring down at her. All she could do was gulp.

"Wh-why am I here? Why did you bring me here?"

The man answered with no hesitation and no feeling whatsoever.

"You are here because you are collateral. Your father was unable to pay his gambler's debt to my employer and I was sent to kill him."

Kaoru glared down. _So _he _had something to do with this, _Kaoru thought irritantly. The man continued.

"However, your father exchanged your freedom for his life, so that is why you are here: you are my assignment now."

Kaoru clenched her fists, keeping in the tears of anger. Of all of the low, heartless things Kihei has done, he would actually go so far as to selling her freedom so that he con live on with his pitiful existance? Though she was glad that she was nowhere near him, Kaoru wished Kihei there for one second just so she could beat him like he beat her all of those times...

"Wait!" Kaoru said, "What does your employer intended to do with me, since I'm his, 'collateral'?" she asked hesitantly.

"I have no idea as to what his intentions are with you. That his for him to decide."

_Why, _Kaoru began to think angrily, _is everybody treating me like I am an _objectKaoru tightened her fist as if she were prepared to strike the red-headed man. She looked up angrily.

"And how come I do not get a say in this?! You can't just kidnap me and tell me how my you and you're 'employer' are going to decide my fate!"

The man stood silent.

"Do not take your anger out on me, girl," he said directly. "If it is anyone who you should be angry at, it is that brute of a man you call your 'father'."

Kaoru raised a half-surprised eyebrow. "'_Father_'? What do you mean fa-"

Before she could finish, the man completey disregarded Kaoru's voice and continued to speak.

"You are my assignment: you are only here because of that. And though I am not ordered to kill you-"

A cold, blade was now pointed at Kaoru's bare neck, the tip very finely pressing against her skin.

"I was not order to keep you 'intact' either."

Kaoru's heart continued to race as the man guided the sword down to her chest. Kaoru closed her eyes shut and flinched as he made a quick movement with his sword, which resulted in a rip in her camisole, that revealed more cleavage than it did before. Kaoru shivered as the man resheathed his weapon, and prepared to leave Kaoru in the room. As soon as the contact between her and the blade was severed, Kaoru knelt to the floor, gasping. She covered her head with hands, when she noticed that her hair was not in the ponytail that she kept in her indigo ribbon. For her beloved ribbon, Kaoru had enough courage to face the man once more to ask of its whereabouts.

"Wait!" Kaoru shouted at the man. He stopped.

"Was there, a ribbon on me when you took me?"

He paused for a second.

"No."

He could tell that she was stricken when he gave her this answer, so he decided to provoke her a little more.

"I suppose that if there was one on you, it fell off on the road somewhere."

Kaoru bit her lip to keep her tears from slipping.

"Someone will be back in the morning."

And with that, the man was gone once again, leaving Kaoru to cry into the futon, weeping for the only item that connected her to her mother, which were both gone.

_"That girl is an annoyance," the Battousai say. "I'll be glad to be rid of her."_

_I stand silent by the door, listening to the girl cry for the ribbon, that apparently held some signifance to her. I remember her hair falling to the ground, wisping at my feet as the ribbon released its grasp from her hair. Why had I let the Battousai say those things to her? Why had I let him control my body for only that split second? Would she go insane without some means of closure? _

_Who knew. It would not be my problem for long, for Katsura will want to meet with her._

_But I can't help but feel pity for the girl, for our fates are both in the clutches of someone else, and our only means of closure is far away. _


	6. Redemption Begins

Dudes...

I honestly did not mean for this chapter to go this way. I didn't expect this chapter to center around our minor ship, Sano x Megumi. Hell, I wasn't even planning on having Sano x Megumi in this fic. But I guess it's a good thing though... It'll be easier for me to write the next chapter...

I guess.

(I guess this means I'm gonna have to give a background story on Misao and Yahiko as well. But it won't be the next chapter, I **swear**.)

So yeah. On a side note, even more fandom gone canon:

-Kaoru the mommy: Whenever Kaoru becomes preggers after Kenji, the child is always a girl. I would have thought that fanon would have established a permanent name for her though...

-Gohei the pervert: Looks like in RK fanon, Gohei is looking seek a little more than revenge from Kaoru...

-Battousai BDSM: I admit: the way Battousai treats Kaoru is iffy... But _sexy. _

There's more. But I forgot them. So they'll have to wait for another time. Woooooooooooooooooooooo!

Anywho, just a side note, Kenshin's name is, well, Kenshin. But everybody in the story refers to him as "Battousai" for almost obvious reasons.

And just a teeny request dudes,

can you try to leave a review here and there?

It feels really nice to get some...

Srsly it does.

Enjoy.

* * *

Misao fumbled and cursed as she sped through the hallway of the North Wing of the manor, approaching the loud noise of people speaking. _So damn early, _she thought angrily as she reached for the shoji and forced it open.

"Is there a reason why you have that damn contraption on so loud at this hour!?" she screached at the two bodies seated on the floor mats, whose attention were still toward the glowing television. A short, spikey haired boy dressed in a pair of dark blue boxers and a white t-shirt spoke, without turning his head away from the television.

"By contraption you mean 'television', right Misao? You are so primative."

"Shut-up, Yahiko-_chan_!"

The spikey haired boy – dubbed Yahiko – shot his head around.

"Don't call me '–chan'!"

At such an early hour in the new day a fight would have insued if it weren't for the equally spikey haired man – though a red headband dressed his forhead – wearing nothing but athletic pants, seated on his side.

"One: it's nine o'clock," he began, while Misao, sporting dark blue camisole sleepwear with her long, ebony hair in a tight ponytail, checked her digital watch on her wrist, and saw that the man was correct.

"Two: shut-up weasle. You're making more noise than the damn TV will on maximum volume."

Misao looked up from her watched and glared at the man, unbeknownst to him due to his gaze upon the TV. Seeing this moment of casual unawareness, Misao found it to be the perfect opportunity to kick the rooster-headed man in the head, knocking the fish bones clear out of jaws. The man stood up – easily towering over the girl by three feet – revealing muscle and fuming rage on his face.

"What the hell did you do that for, weasle!?" he shouted at Misao with a mad but trivial face. Misao was not easily intimidated by his voice and shouted back.

"That's what you get for messing with me, _Sanosuke_! You know I'm a heavy sleeper and-"

"Shhh!" went Yahiko in the midst of Sano and Misao's quarrel as he pointed toward the TV, intending to get their attention.

All eyes in the room directed toward the television, in which the news was currently airing.

"The Shinsengumi continue their investigation in the brutal murder of Takeda Kanyru, who was a prime suspect in a large opium smuggling ring. Reports tell us that Takeda was a big crime lord in the Kyoto underground, and that his murder was possibly gang related."

"Hey. Wasn't that Battousai's charge just this morning?" asked Misao.

Sanosuke nodded as he looked sternly at the television screen, the news anchors reporting on other events of the morning.

"So Katsura finally decided to get rid of him…" Sano said slowly.

"Why do you sound like your sad or something?! I thought you would be glad when Battousai finally gutted the snivelling rat's intestines." Misao said.

"Don't worry; I am glad that that rat's finally dead, especially after-"

"After what, Sanosuke?"

The question came from a woman, appearning in her twenties, with black, waist length hair and brown eyes. She wore a long, black silk night slip, with a sheer black robe to cover. Sano stopped his stentence upon noticing the fox-like woman's presence in the doorway to the north commons area.

"Ah, Megumi. Didn't see you there. Looking foxy as usual," Sano jokingly complimented with a grin on his face, trailing his eyes up and down her body. Megumi huffed and tossed her hair after seeing Sano investigating her.

"You just saw me thirty-minutes ago," she stated as she approached Sano. Sano playfully went behind her and grabbed her by her shoulders.

"Hey! Can't I compliment my sexy wife on a morning where for once her hair doesn't nearly meet the standards of her bu-"

Megumi replied with a slap to Sano's head in response.

"Thanks for the compliment," Megumi thanked sarcastically with an irritated countenance.

"Pardon me for disrupting your early morning lovers' quarrel," began Yahiko, who was still seated on his mat in front of the television, this time with Misao at his side, "but can you get started on breakfast Megumi? I'm starving."

"Me too," added Misao.

"Okay, you too," Megumi smiled as she tried to wisp away from Sano's grasp. "Just let me-"

Megumi stopped when she heard the name "Kanryu" on the news, which was recapping the major stories of the morning. For a moment, her body shivered before slowly approaching the television. She listened as the others watched her.

"- brutal murder of Takeda Kanryu-"

Falling to her knees upon hearing the word "murder", Megumi clutched herself. Inaudible words could be seen coming out of her mouth, though noone could hear them due to Megumi's shaking voice. They were finally able to hear what she spoke when Megumi regained her voice, albeit it was a mere whisper. "D-dead," she whispered, her lips trembling as he spoke. "He's, finally, dead." A single teared ran down her cheek, which was soon followed by several. "It's finally over."

Megumi brought her hands to the tatami, clutched in tight fists as she cried profusely. Whether they were tears of joy or pain, the surrounding audience did not know, but Sano took whatever type of tear shed as a cue to approach his wife and embrace her from behind. "It's all over!" Megumi cried as she turned around and cried into Sano's chest, who began to soothingly stroke her hair in an attempt to calm her down. "Yeah… It's all over," he whispered. "That bastard can never hurt you again." As the couple continued to embrace each other, Misao and Yahiko looked on, with indescribable expressions. They didn't know whether to look happy or sad in front of Megumi, who had been through hell while being forced to work under Kanryu's foot in his opium business. For two years she was forced to produce strong and lethal doses of opium that killed many, after the murder of her mentor who originally produced the opium. Of course a lowlife mobster such as Kanryu did not care as long as the opium brought in enough "funds" so he could buy out all other dealers, but Megumi was a doctor – someone whose duty was to save lives, not kill them.

She couldn't forgive herself, even if her friends – primarily Sanosuke, whose close friend fell victim to the opium – somehow did, after all she had done. At the time, Sano, nicknamed Zanza, the Fighter for Hire, was hired by Katsura in order to "take care" of the opium maker of the Takeda Faction, which would soon threaten the status of the Choshu gang if their production of "Spider's Web" opium continued. Sano had no problem wailing on his assignments. He found it as a way to relieve stress and anger after the disbandment of his former gang family members, the Sekihoutai, who were either incarcerated by the Shinsengumi or executed gang style by their rivals. Sano was infuriated that the police and their enemies would go so far to punish the Sekihoutai. Sure, Sanosuke knew that they were responsible for extorting money from the Kyoto elite and rival gangs, but they only stole from the corrupt, and gave the stolen goods to the less fortunate. The Sekihoutai's ideals were the reason why Sano left his family, who could not always afford to put food on the table for the family of five. Maybe the incarceration of the members who were caught by the Shinsengumi was justifiable, but did the others really deserve to be executed by the barrage of bullets from their rivals, who they themselves stole the money from people who barely had nothing? Sanosuke could never forgive them, and utterly destroying one of the the prime subjects for the Takeda Faction – which was one of the Sekihoutai's rivals – success in the underground was his way of returning the favor. Not only that, but the opium produced by the Takeda Faction was also responsible for killing a good friend of Sanosuke.

That was the last straw. Any member of any gang that were enemies of the Sekihoutai would pay dearly by either Sano's fists or his zanbatou. He knew that for sure. What Sano didn't know was that his target – who was a woman – was helping the success of a ruthless territorial gang against her will at the expense of others. When Sano approached her in her quarter – which was also forced to be her laboratory – with his monsterous sword aimed at her neck, Megumi did not fight or struggle: she remained still, and begged Sano to take her life, in hopes that her death will mean less pointless deaths at the hands of her opium. Sano remembered his hand shivering at the plea, causing his zanbatou to shake as well. No matter how enraged he was at this woman and the connection she held to this organization, Sano did not have the heart to kill her, so instead, he put down his sword and raised his fist to knock her out.

Megumi surely thought that when she awoke, she would soon face her death. To her bewilderment, she awoke to confusion – at the fact that when she woke up, she was in an entirely different environment that did not appear to be any afterlife that she pictured. Her capture soon told her that she was at the manor that he and his comrades stayed at, under the ownership of the master occupant, Hitokiri Battousai. Megumi remembered hearing that name when she was a prisoner in Kanryu's estate; she heard it was because of Battousai that the Takeda Faction didn't directly attack the Choshu gang, so they instead decided to take them down – as well as all other smaller gangs – financially through the opium business. Shivers went down Megumi's spine at the mention of her being under the same roof as the infamous shadow assassin, but Sano assured her that as long as she kept her distance and knew her limits, Battousai would not harm her. Of course, there was still Sano to worry about, and he stoically stated that if she wasn't a woman, he would have taken her out in an instant. As for her fate, Sano mentioned that Megumi should count her blessing that his employer, Katsura, did not require the opium producer's death; so as long as she was out of the grasp of the Takeda Faction, Megumi posed on threat to the Choshu. Still, there would be much healing for both Megumi's dignity and Sano's trust.

At first, Sano was wary of Megumi. He kept a close eye on her in case she double crossed him, and she really was working intentionally for Kanryu as a spy. However, Megumi did not leave the manor not once without supervision, out of fear of Kanryu's followers. She proved to be an excellent cook, and an even more excellent doctor for treating Sano's and Battousai's wounds after missions. Battousai kept his same silent countenance when he happened to be around her, but Megumi could tell that he was pleased with her work, and in return she would give him a foxy smirk (to Sano's disapproval and annoyance). Over time, Sano learned to trust Megumi, albeit he was annoyed with her pestering him about certain injuries that were not acquired from missions (i.e. those acquired from petty bar fights), and in turn, she was annoyed when he would blatantly "complimented" her figure and constantly called her "fox." Still, she found a happiness when Sano acted this way toward her, a happiness that she hadn't felt in the past five years since the death of her family. Soon, Sano started to open up to Megumi, about the family that he left behind when he joined the Sekihoutai, and his fallen idol, the leader of the Sekihoutai, Sagara Sozo – whom he grew to love like a father so much that he adopted his surname. It was during fervent conversations like this that Megumi wanted no man other than Sano to protect her from threats such as Kanryu's goons, and Sano wanted to do the same: till death do they part.

The word of Takeda Kanryu's death was the doorway to a new beginning for Megumi. For that, she cried for two reasons: there were first the tears of joy of never having to cower in fear for her safety from the possibility that Kanryu's men might come back for her. Then there were the tears of regret, for hurting all of those people who were intertwined in the spider's web, directly and indirectly. From here, Megumi would redeem herself by doing her job – helping the sick and injured, no matter which gang they came from.

Megumi raised her palm to her tear drenched cheeks and wiped them away, having calmed down from Sano's comfort. "I'm, ok now," she began, continuing to dry her eyes. She then looked toward Yahiko and Misao, who were slowly beginning to smile upon seeing Megumi's tears turning from tears of joy and regret to tears of courage. "Thank you, all of you. I, don't know what I could have done without you guys."

Misao gave a reassuring nod with a wide grin. "Hey, no problem Megumi! That's what family's for, right Yahiko?"

"You got it!" Yahiko answered with the same grin.

As Megumi smiled, Sano gave her a quick but passionate kiss on the lips, which made her smile grow wider.

"But there's one thing," Megumi said seriously. "Who carried out the assassination? I know for sure that no average criminal could have gotten past Kanryu's security."

"Well," Sano began sternly, "judging from the evidence, Kanryu was practically gutted with a sword, but it was by no means sloppily done. I only know one assassin who could have carried out such a task."

The brief silence indicated that everyone knew who was responsible: Kenshin. The expressions on their faces left another enigma: were they happy or displeased at the fact that Kenshin killed off another enemy? The group knew it was inevitable: the Takeda Faction had it coming and their days on the streets were numbered. But although one enemy of the Choshu was eliminated, the attention of the Takeda Faction's allies could be drawn to the streets of Kyoto to avenge their fallen bretheren, and a gang war would soon break out.

Aside from that, the group knew all too well of how Kenshin acted after an assassination. They knew of his condition, how the demon Battousai that caused him to slay his targets in the bloodliest way possible in order for his sword to soak in the blood. The more Battousai killed, the more bloodlust he yearned for, and the more bloodlust he recieved, the more demon-like he became.

Megumi decided th break the silence by rising from the floor clasping her hands together.

"Well," she began, "I guess this is cause for a celebration. I'll start by making a big breakfast for us, and tonight we'll have a feast."

"Alright! Food!" shouted the boys.

"Megumi, you're the greatest!" Misao praised.

"Yeah, you really are fox!"

"Aw! It's really nice to get compliments like this, not only when I make you guys FOOD," Megumi hinted with sarcasm. The trio scratched there heads nervously, but smiled nontheless at the fact that Megumi was happy. Megami turned and headed for the shouji toward the kitchen.

"I'll be back in awhile with breakfast. It might take awhile so don't come into the kitchen rushing me-"

Before she could reach for the shoji, someone from the other side did. The figure standing on the other side caused everyone to freeze with anticipation and fear.

Kenshin stood in the doorway, having just returned from his most recent assignment: Kanryu. Though his skin lacked the pigment of red, his clothes reeked of blood. He looked coldly into Megumi's eyes, scanning her eyes for fear. The Battousai loved the smell of fear, especially from a woman. On the contrary, Megumi released the tension in her shoulders from her brief petrification and smiled warmly at Kenshin.

"Good morning, Battousai," she greeted him. Megumi debated whether the thank him for killing Kanryu, but wasn't sure if it was appropriate or not. She instead settled for a friendly greeting. The others waited, Sano clenching his fists in case Kenshin made a harmful move on his wife. Kenshin glanced his amber eyes quickly at the trio, and then back to Megumi.

"You are about to make breakfast, I presume?" he asked subtly.

In the background, the other released a sigh of relief, as well as Megumi, though she made it as inaudible as possible. "Yes, I am. Would you like me to make you some as well?"

"No," he replied. "Not for me anyway."

Megumi looked quizically at Kenshin. "To whom shall I give your portion to then?"

"My prisoner."


	7. Comforted

Holy fing s.

I wrote 27 pages of this story already?!

Wow. I feel smart.

But I can't help but feel kinda, _lacking, _in something.

Like I could write more in a chapter. But it seems a lot when I look at what I wrote in my word processor...

Well, here's some background information. The story takes place in Kyoto, and maybe Tokyo later (Perhaps Akita even more later... But I highly doubt it.). Yeah, it ain't Edo no more. And, of course, Kyoto ain't called Heian no more either. lol. So there's no actually government revolution going on, but a gang revolution. Gang fights. So the gangs are the same groups and organizations in the orignal RK canon, and the alliances go as followed:

Choshu Gang

City location: Kyoto, smaller factions in Tokyo

Allies: The Sekihoutai, The Oniwabanshu Ninja of Kyoto

Rivals: The Juppongatana, The Ikeda Faction, The Oniwabanshu Ninja of Tokyo

Founder: Kogoro Katsura

The Juppongatana

City location: Tokyo, Kyoto

Allies: The Ikeda Faction, The Oniwabanshu Ninja of Tokyo

Rivals: the Choshu Gang, the Sekihoutai, The Oniwabanshu Ninja of Kyoto

Founder: Makoto Shishio

And the Shinsengumi isn't a gang: they are of course, the law enforcer, a.k.a. the Police Cops.

That's all you need to know for now. All other information will be released at a later time...

And on a completey random note, has anyone noticed that Tokyo and Kyoto are pallindroms of one another? (I just noticed this, like, a month ago.)

Sorry guys, no Battousai/Kaoru action in the chapter. Next chapter though...

And this is the first update of the new year. Horray! So I guess this is a New Years/Last Day of Kwanzaa gift for ya'll. Lucky you.

Enjoy and leave reviews. (plz.)

_

* * *

_

_My eyes remain closed, but I can tell that the dawn of the next day is coming. _

_Sitting here, I think about my life, how people have always treated me like an object instead of human. First Kihei, and now the people who kidnapped me. Am I really that unrecognizable for a human being? _

_When I look back on my wishes, it seems that they will become nearly impossible to come true at this rate. All I have to look forward to now, sitting in my prison-room, is to wait for the man who brings my fate._

_I despise him so much._

_But..._

_...His eyes, in an uncanny way, draw me to him..._

Kaoru tried to sleep but she just couldn't. Tears of silence soaked her futon pillow; she didn't want anybody to hear her crying. Each time she closed her eyes, either a set of glowing amber eyes appeared in the dark dream world, or she felt the sting of a backhand across her face, most likely from Kihei.

Kihei.

_If I ever see that man again, _she thought, _I'll make that fat oaf wish he was never born._ She clentched her fists, not as if she were balling them up in order to throw a punch, but in a way that a real sword was in her grasp. The satisfaction of striking Kihei with her bokken where it would hurt would allow Kaoru to die a happy death.

Well, _almost _happy death.

Kaoru had gotten to a point of thinking last night that she would ultimately die a sad, lonely, and unhappy death. She had no home, no possessions, her real family was dead, she was away from her only friends, she had been kidnapped...

And now she was waiting for the moment when that man would burst through the shoji with a sword, and-

All of her dreams were dead from that point.

Literally.

And it was all because of those two men: Kihei, and, that man.

This was all there fault.

_First the fatass sells my freedom for God knows what, and know I'm in the captivity of that strange man, with his fiery red hair, his amber orbs, and his small but muscular physique-_

Once again, Kaoru found herself mentally slapping herself upon oggling the mysterious red-head. Sure she admitted it: He was deadly attractive no matter how mean he was. But that lie in the problem: He was **deadly **attractive, meaning that at any given moment, he could storm into the room and do the unimaginable to her. He almost did the night before. Kaoru clutched the rip in her camisole, as a shiver went down her spine as she momentarily relived the moment when the man glided his sword's tip down her bare neck and ripped her shirt. Did he do that for his own enjoyment, or to scare her, or was scaring her part of his enjoyment? Kaoru didn't want to know, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to his eyes. Those pools of amber looked as if they could be the fire's of hell itself, but there was something else in them. Something dark. Something trapped. Something hidden. Something beautiful.

_No Kaoru_, she began to convince herself, _that man is not what he seems_. _He kidnapped you, threatened you, harrassed you, taunted you with your ribbon..._

She began to think of the silkly indigo ribbon. The ribbon that was the only item left of her mother, whom she barely even remembered. When she first recieved that ribbon, the faint smell of jasmine was secreted in it. From that day on, Kaoru would bathe herself in that fragrance. She bathed in it so frequently that it seemed like jasmine was Kaoru's own scent. Yes. It felt like the ribbon and the smell of jasmine connected her with the spirit of her mother.

Her mother must of have been beautiful,

to have worn such a beautiful ribbon and an even more beautiful scent.

The mere thought of her mother brought Kaoru to tears. God how she felt so stupid to have forgotten what her mother even looked like! For all she knew, her mother could have been Amaterasu, and Kaoru, though she would have been the daughter of a goddess, would have been unworthy of wearing the artifacts of such a beautiful being. How could she wear such things belonging to such a beautiful person if Kaoru didn't even know she was beautiful herself?

Perhaps she would never know, for she had noone to tell her.

But no matter how beautiful her departed mother was or not, oh how Kaoru missed her so.

As Misao walked down the East Wing with a tray of breakfast for Kenshin's "prisoner", she still couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact that she was being ordered around, albeit she was living under somebody else's roof. But it was Kenshin: Kenshin the Battousai, and anybody who defied his orders was practically digging their own grave, even Misao knew that.

_"A prisoner?" Megumi asked quizically._

_Kenshin stared subtly at his audience, and nodded._

_"Yes. She should be hungry about now." _

_"'She'?" Misao whispered to Yahiko and Sanosuke. Kenshin eyed Misao enough for her to cease in her gossip. His eye gaze returned to Megumi._

_"I expect her to be feed within the hour," he ordered._

_"Yes, Battousai," Megumi bowed respectfully. Kenshin merely turned on his heel and walked down the hall, returning to his quarter in the West Wing. The atmosphere of the room - which become cold and tense upon his arrival - slowly began to return to normal (or as normal as it would get), as Kenshin's bloodied hakama and gi swayed as he walked. _

A girl he said? _Megumi thought. She knew she shouldn't, but she had to find out more._

_"If I may ask, Battousai?" _

_He stopped._

_"Why do you have a girl as your prisoner?"_

_The a small but powerful hint of the tense atmosphere appeared when he answered coldly._

_"You will find out soon enough," Kenshin began, "but until then, I suggest you mind your own business."_

_Sanosuke would have released a flurry of punches ten fold on the assassin if it weren't for Yahiko and Misao holding him back. Nobody got away with talking to _his _wife like that, even if they were the feared shadow asassin. However his friends knew this as well, and since they were the only ones thinking clearly, they were the only ones to know that the consequences of engaging in a battle with one of the most powerful swordsmen of the era would affect those closest to him, not he alone. All Sano could do was clench his fists as Megumi bowed apologetically as Kenshin continued to walk._

_When Kenshin was safely around the corner, all took a breath, and Megumi began to walk toward the kitchen to make haste with that morning's breakfast._

_"Megumi?" Misao asked softly._

_"..Yes?" she replied as softly as Misao._

_"Do you suppose... This girl... Could be, 'the one'?"_

_Silence was Megumi's reply as she headed toward the kitchen._

_I wonder how that girl is doing, _Misao thought as she neared the room where the girl was kept in. She thought how it was like to be a prisoner of shadow assassin Battousai, how scary it must have been to not know what as going on in that mans head.

But, shouldn't she know the feeling? She herself was under the careful watch of Battousai, but it wasn't his priority to keep her a captive. The real reason why she was staying with him in the first place was to wait for her lord and would-be-lover, Shinamori Aoishi. Their gang, the Oniwabanshu Ninja of Kyoto, were in close allegience to the Choshu gang, so they often colamorated with room and board. Albeit the stoic Aoishi and the stealthy Battousai had rough patches, they cooperated accordingly in order to get the mission done. Misao would daydream countless hours about the day she and Aoishi could go out on missions like he and Battousai did, but unfortunately for her, her competance level of a true ninja were not at their highest. So she was forced to stayed behind in Battousai's manor when Aoishi traveled to Tokyo for a peace conference between the Kyoto Oniwabanshu and the Tokyo Oniwabanshu, who were at weak bonds due to the Tokyo ninja aiding the Takeda Faction, which possibly meant alliances with the Juppongatana.

Aoishi left more than a year ago, with no word about his activity since his departure. But Misao continued to wait patiently for the day that the man she looked up to and loved would come back - and hopefull by then she would be recognized as a true ninja. And a woman.

If that was Misao's version of being held prisoner by Battousai (Where the only interaction between the two would be failed attempts at making the manslayer smile), she had a gut feeling that being a **true **prisoner of the Battousai was not all cracked up to be. He did some pretty grisely things to his assassin targets. Just what did he - and will he- do to a target that he kept alive, and a woman at that?

Misao would like to think that if the girl was level-headed and rational (not to mention good-looking), she might be cut some slack for whatever the Battousai had coming for her. But it was Battousai... Did he even care?

As Misao approached the shoji to the room and reached for the handle with her free hand, she heard a collective string of sobs. She quietly opened the shoji and peeked in.

"Excuse me? Miss?"

What she was was a girl, around her age, hugging her knees and crying into them. Her midnight tresses covered her body and flayed around the surrounding futon. As quietly as possible, Misao layed the food tray by the entrance, and approached the weeping figure. _Has the Battousai broken her spirit already? _she thought as she extended her hand to reach for the girl. She recieved a negative response from the girl: a flinch when her finger made contact with the girl's bare shoulder. It wasn't an aggressive negative response, but it did show how fragile and frightened the girl was.

A head with glistening azure eyes and soft rose lips rose from the knees and looked up to see Misao standing over her, worried.

"W-who are you?" she asked, her voice still crying though she ceased her tears.

"I'm Makimachi Misao," she answered, kneeling down to the girl. "What is your name, miss?"

Instead of an introduction, the girl instead fell into Misao's hands and began to weep again. Misao encircled one hand around the girl. She wanted to ask what was wrong to the girl, but that was all too obvious and insensitive. Misao just held her, as she listened to the girl cry, while whispering words about her mother and a ribbon. Though she had no idea what - or why - she was sobbing about, and also had no idea how to comfort her for that matter, Misao wrapped her other arm around the girl, hoping that this mere show of affection will somehow calm the girl down and bring her at ease.

After awhile, the girl stopped crying, and raised her head from Misao's arms. She swiftly wipped away her tears and sniffled. "I'm sorry," she said, voice still quivering, "I don't know what got into me. I just-"

"Don't blame yourself miss," Misao interrupted. "I don't mind giving a hug to someone who needs it," she smiled.

The girl let slight smile appear at the edge of her lips. "Oh!" she noticed, "How could I be so rude? My name is Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru."

"Pleased to meet ya, Kaoru!" Misao greeted cheerfully, trying to replace the gloomy atmosphere with that of happiness. "I came to deliver your breakfast for you! Our cook - well, she's not exactly a cook as she is a doctor, but she's really good at both, ya know?" Misao began to ramble on when Kaoru said something that she would have wanted her acquintance to hear, but not hear at the same time.

"Did that _man _send you?" she asked, shifty her eyes that were still glossy from tears to the side.

Misao directed her attention back to her. "What?" she asked in a quizzical manner, meaning that she didn't hear the question in opposed to being offended by it.

Kaoru shook her head gently upon realizing. "Nothing, Miss Misao."

"Loose the formalities Kaoru! I'm younger than you, for crying out loud! If anyone should be using honorifics, it should be me!" Misao lectured Kaoru, whose eyes went wide for smidge of a second.

"I'm sorry, Misao. But I would also like you to not use formalities with me also," Kaoru requested.

"Sure!" Misao replied. "Now we're on the same level!"

Misao turned on her heel to retrieve the food tray for Kaoru, but turning almost ninety degrees gave Misao a panoramic view of the room. It wasn't an actual replicated dungeon room, but it had the vibe of one. It had no windows, so no light could enter besides the light through the shoji. The size of the room - which wasn't large, but also wasn't cramped - made the room feel so much more colder than it already was. The only furniture in the room was a futon; in fact, the only object in the room was the futon, and the lonely girl sitting on top of it.

Prisoner or not, Misao didn't want Kaoru - who was obviously considerate and kind - to be all alone in this room, let alone eat alone. She held out her hand toward the seated Kaoru.

"Why don't, you eat breakfast with us?" she asked with a grin.

"'U-us'?" Kaoru asked, voice cracked.

"Uh huh. It'll be fun, and the rest of the household isn't half bad (though really annoying)!"

Kaoru paused at her offer. "Will... That _man _be there?" she asked softly with her cerulean orbs directed toward the floor. There was fear and concern in her voice, for Misao could sense it even though she talked at such a low volume. Of course, she knew whom she was referring to, and answered accordingly.

"I doubt it," Misao answered, never loosing her smile. "He's not the social type... You'll be fine."

Kaoru remained quiet, but soon nodded in agreement and reached her hand toward Misao's, which pulled her from the futon. Misao gave a quick inspection of Kaoru's body. She was about an inch and a half taller than she, and she had a slender, femimine build. Misao was almost jealous at Kaoru's femimine maturity (which she apparently lacked in the eyes of the opposite sex), which she had a hard time missing since so much of her cleavage was showing from a rip in her camisole and part of her hips were also revealed from a hole in the side of her pants.

"Why don't you go change first, though?" Misao suggested as she lead Kaoru out of the cold prison room.


	8. Granted privileges

Thirty seven pages folks. I'm on a role.

And thank you!

Beauty and Battousai is now archived! bows

I will continue to do my best at this fanfic, along with all the other. Speaking of which, I need to catch up on An Unkept Memory soon...

So finally. More Battousai x Kaoru action. This chapter is a lot longer, so enjoy.

And leave comments.

Leaving reviews - be they positive or negative - believe it or not, makes me not forget about writing this fanfic.

So when you actually think about it,

if I suddenly stop writing this fanfic because the same amount of comments are left from two months back,

it's you guy's fault.

So it's for your own enjoyment, for I already know how this tale will end. (Boo ya!)

Again, enjoy.

_

* * *

_

_I walk to my room, the stench of my blood still trailing my body. I think about my previous mission, the one I carried out last night. Katsura finally decided to get rid of that queer rat. Though I detest killing, I couldn't help but feel that those Takeda guys failed at putting up a good fight._

_Guess who was satisfied at that fact?_

_The Battousai should keep quiet for awhile. He got his fill of blood last night, enough to satisfy him for two days._

_I begin to remove jacket and gi and toss it to a remote corner in my room. I'll have to burn this gi and hakama too. Not the jacket though. _

_Taking my katana and wakizashi from my hip, I place the wakizashi on its respected mantle before walking to the wall by the shoji leading to the courtyard. I prop myself against the wall and sit, leaning my katana on my bare shoulder. It begins to pulsate._

_My katana is not normal. It never was. It is as alive as the demon within me. It doesn't surprise me that the Battousai probably shares a symbiotic relationship with the sword as well. Whenever the katana pulsates, the Battousai is hungry. My hand clenches its sheath in an attempt to halt the movement._

_"Haven't you had enough from the slaughter last night?" I ask him iritatly._

_"Nothing is enough for me," the Battousai responded smuggly._

_"Then I suppose you'll have to starve until Katsura decideds to exterminate a few more of his enemies."_

_The Battousai ceases conversation and I am allowed to think on my own. _

_I start to think about that girl._

_I never did get her name._

_A whiff of jasmine suddenly enters my nose from out of oblivion, and the scent over powers the stench of blood. I inhaling deeply, and my muscles begin to relax, something that doesn't happen often. The tension begins to rise, however, when my katana begins to pulsate again, and that annoying but grievous voice enters my mind again._

_"I want her."_

_"What?" I ask harshly._

_"I want her. Her blood."_

_My expression changes from stern to fierce. _

_"Let me put this clearly: We will not kill her unless ordered to. I will not shed blood unless I have to."_

_I felt the Battousai giving me a smug smile._

_"But you do need to," he answered in a you-know-I'm-right voice._

_I pause, waiting for another smart reply from my vampiric parasite._

_He's done taunting me for now, and he's gone._

_I release a sigh that I have been meaning to allow escape for the entire night. _

_"The sooner that girl is gone..." I say, meaning for it to come out more optimistic than pessimistic._

_Finally I begin to close my eyes, and I try to drift into the much anticipated sleep that I have been yearning for._

_My eyes are closed, but I'm still awake. _

_I shift my sitting position against the wall to make it more comfortable._

_Still no progress._

_Each time I close my eyes, the image of that girl enters my mind. She never looks happy: she is always crying._

She should be eating breakfast about now, _I think to myself._

_I drum my fingers against the sheath of my katana, which has ceased pulsating. I need a liable excuse to go see her._

_"Maybe I'll go check on her to see if she hasn't lost her marbles yet," I say to myself._

_Using my katana to help me stand from my seated position, I walk to the sword mantle and replace the wakizashi with the katana and slide it against my hip. I'll need it in case she tries anything funny._

_Before walking out of my vacuous room, I redress myself in my bloodied gi, and head for the girl's room._

Breakfast was already in session in the North Wing parlor when Misao and Kaoru arrived. Yahiko, Sano and Megumi were seated at the table in a space a little away from the media area, in front of an open shoji.

"I'm back guys!" Misao announced cheerfully. "And guess who I brought with me!"

Pulled behind Misao was Kaoru, who was presented in a frilly, lavender pink, knee length camisole night gown with her hair freshly combed and brushed. Misao was so excited to present her new friend in front of the others, though Kaoru personally felt like she was going to a tea party with the way she was dressed.

Albeit they knew offhand that Kaoru was the prisoner of which Kenshin spoke off, the couldn't help but snicker at her rather cute appearance.

Kaoru laughed nervously. "Uh, h-hi. My name is Kamiya Kaoru." She gave a respectful and deep bow.

"No need to be all formal with us Jou-chan," Sanosuke said with a grin. "My name's Sagara Sanosuke, but you can call me Sano," he introduced. He put his hand on Yahiko's head - who continued to devour the foodstuffs around his plate despite introductions - as he began to introduce him. "This little runt here is Yahiko, and-" he put his arm around Megumi's waist and pulled her toward him, "the fox is Megumi - my wife."

"It's very nice to meet all of you," Kaoru said. She almost gave another bow when Sano's request clicked in her mind. Instead she gave a small nod to her head, but whe she looked up Misao was absent from her side, having already popped in between Yahiko and Sano at the table. Kaoru stood dumbstrucken at how fast Misao was; She was literally there one second and gone the other.

"Well don't stand there looking into space, _Tanuki_! Come over here and eat something!"

"Oh right!" Kaoru mumbled over her breath as she walked over to the table and gracefully sat her self next to Misao, not wanting to give the boys at the table a show by sitting down in her night gown to suddenly.

Misao handed her a dish and some chopsticks, while the the others continued to eat the remainder of the food (which Sano and Yahiko "considerately" scarfed down while Misao was away.). "Gee, thanks for saving us breakfast!" Misao shouted sarcastically.

"Yo' elcum!" Yahiko said with his mouth full who continued to scarf down all of the food surrounding him - Sano helping. Megumi just sighed and shook her head.

"They say that growing boys have a big appetite, but being a doctor this is just abnormal..." she muttered under her breath - loud enough for the girls to hear but quiet enough for the boys who were too busy to notice.

Misao giggled. "Well, Kaoru you should dig in while the getting is good," she advised. Kaoru nodded and picked up her chopsticks. She herself was not very hungry, but she decided to eat a morsel for Misao. Searching over the portions of food that haven't been devoured, she directed her chopsticks to the last tamagoyaki [Rolled omlet commonly served at breakfast, only to have hers collide with Yahiko's. A territorial glare was immediately shot at Kaoru, while Kaoru returned the favor.

"Back off, _Buso!" _he declared. "That last roll is mine!"

Kaoru glared apalled and annoyed at Yahiko's harsh nickname for her. _I've only been here for five minutes and everybody_ _has already thought of their own name for me! _she thought loudly. She didn't know if she should be flattered at the fact that she had three nicknames already, or offended at the motives for using them.

"Don't call me 'buso' Yahiko-!" Kaoru tried to think of a retaliation, but failed at finding a word suited for the snotnosed rapscallion, since she had only just met him and knew nothing about him. Kaoru was about to go into submission when she saw Misao mouthing something to her in the corner of her eye. She was able to make out Yahiko's name, followed by a one syllable word starting with -ch. Chan?

Kaoru smirked when she deciphered the message. She continued on with her comeback. "...Yahiko- _chan_!" A proud Misao was seen nodding in the corner of Kaoru's eye. Yahiko, meanwhile, was fuming red at Kaoru's direct - and effective - comeback. How did she come up with the right word to get him started?!

"Shut up!" was all Yahiko could think of. "I saw it first anyway!"

"But my chopsticks reached it first!" Kaoru retorted.

The two continued to bicker by slinging obvious facts and childish name calling back in forth for about a minute, until a pent up Megumi slammed her hand on the table in annoyance.

"Alright that's enough you two!" she scolded. Both fell silent.

"Tanuki, act more like a lady (you don't want to get that nice pink gown all grimy, do you?)," she pointed at Kaoru. She leaned back and sat properly, face still slightly glaring in Yahiko's direction.

"And Yahiko, by a gentleman and let Kaoru have the last tamagoyaki."

"Aww!" he whined. "But I saw it first!"

"And you already ate all the rest!" Megumi snapped. Yahiko, knowing what was good for him, backed down and let Kaoru grab the last roll between her chopsticks, pouting while it the negotiations took place.

"Sheesh. It's like living with five year olds," Megumi said rubbing her temples.

Sano snickered during the whole ordeal. "I find childish bickering very entertaining," he began, chewing a fish tail in his mouth, "and," he eyebrowed in her direction, "that's all the reason to make some entertainment of our own."

"Hey!" she snapped her finger up. "We'll talk about discussions of future parenthood in private rooster!"

Sano let out a repressed laugh and continued picking his teeth with the fish bone.

"Besides," Yahiko spoke up, "who needs more trouble around here anyway? The buso here has only been here for six minutes and she's already starting trouble." Kaoru looked up from her dish - having finished the roll - and glared seriously at Yahiko, who had crossed his arms over his chest, glancing to the side to avoid eye contact with her.

"It's not like I'm here by choice..." shen muttered under her breath.

Yahiko - along with everybody at the table - glanced in Kaoru's direction, her shoulders relaxed and slumped in saddness. For a minute, Yahiko looked remorseful for his last sentence. He had forgotten that she had been brought her against her will by Kesnhin, albeit for unclear reasons for the time being. _Should I apologize?_ he thought.

Misao took care of that for him by slapping him upside the head.

"Yahiko sends his apologies, Kaoru."

* * *

After breakfast was officially over and the table was clear, the group of four just sat and were induced in their own conversation, while Kaoru just sat with her hands on her lap, looking on at their conversation, but not interrupting, let alon listening in. She thought about the severity of her captivity. Was it really that severe if there were four other people living with the man who kidnapped her? Why were they living with him? Were they kidnapped as well? Was her kidnapped solely his idea, or did they play a part in it too? Despite her mind being warpped by more despondent thoughts, Kaoru couldn't think so pejoratively of them: they were nice to her for the most part, plus they looked too happy to be direct cohorts of such as hostile-looking man like her kidnapper.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a waving hand in front of her face, which belonged to Misao.

"Helloooo?" she asked. "Ya know, you don't have to sit so quietly staring into space like that. Join the conversation."

Kaoru snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to interrupt you is all..."

"What's to interrupt?" Sano said nonchalantly. "All we were talking about was how the runt scarfs half of our food supplies in under twenty minutes."

"You help!" Yahiko bit back.

The conversation died there, and the room was induced in silence once again.

Misao made the effort to start another conversation, and decided the perfect subject that wasn't too touchy. Or so she hoped.

"Sooooo... Kaoru. Why don't you tell us about yourself (If you'd like, of course.)."

There was a pause. Kaoru didn't want to reveal too much information about her current situation, but, what else was there to talk about? She didn't want to regale on her "wonderful" life with Kihei, so she just talked small.

"Well... My name is Kamiya Kaoru - as you already know. My birthday is on June 3rd, and I'm seventeen. My favorite colors are indigo and lilac. I'm not a master, but I can wield a bokken exceptionally well if I have to..."

Yahiko raised an eyebrow at her last statement. It seemed that Kaoru grabbed his attention. She continued.

"I wish I were better though, in that AND at cooking. And- my favorite scent is jasmine... That about it with me. I doubt it that you would like to hear anything else..." Kaoru slowly guided her cerulean eyes toward the table top. The others took this as a cue that she didn't want to elaborate on her background for now, so they left it at that.

_I shouldn't be so rude though_, so thought.

"How about you?" she asked. "How come all of you are here? I mean, do you all?..." She was hoping that they would get the picture and complete the sentence for her. Sano spoke.

"Well. to put it simply- actually, I can't put it simply. It's all sorta complicated." He scratched his head. He didn't want to give out too much information.

"All you need to know, is that we are all here for different reasons. Our boss might be the same, but our goals are different. So don't connect the motives of one of us with the others, Jou-chan," he smirked in reassurance. He let Kaoru comprehend what he just explained. _So... They're all gang members... But these guys had nothing to do with my kidnapping._ As Kaoru looked up from her state of contemplation, four warm smiles greeted her.

However, she did not return the smile, and instead, Kaoru knelt her head down in order to hide her eyes that were filling with tears.

"What's wrong Kaoru?" Misao asked, edging closer to Kaoru's side.

Kaoru stuttered for a moment. "I-it's just... This is the first time I've been treated so kindly in so long. And- you guys have only just met me! I-" Kaoru felt so stupid. She hated being a crybaby, albeit this was the first time that she cried openly in years. Whenever Kihei would scold or beat her, she never cried or showed any sign of weakness. It felt abnormal to her, but crying in front of others - letting them see her emotions brought on by tears - lifted a weight in her soul.

Ten seconds went by with only the sound of Kaoru's crying. Everybodies countenance was sentimental, except for Megumi, who had her own way of expressing sentiments by breaking the silence.

"Please! We've only known you for twenty minute and you're already crying." Though Megumi probably meant this in a humorous fashion, the notion did not spark Kaoru, who only ceased crying when Megumi reached out for Kaoru's chin with her hand, revealing her glossy cerulean eyes. "It's not like we would have treated you any differently if we had known you longer." She commenced to releasing Kaoru's chin, but then flick her forhead with her index finger. "You certainly must not have had a very good experience up to this point." Kaoru didn't know whether to be flabbergasted by Megumi's comment or not. She obviously meant well, but it just didn't seem to come out right in Kaoru's point of view. Kaoru opened her mouth in rebuttle when Sano interrupted.

"I think what the fox means to say," Sano began to include, "is that we're only human and we would never treat you like you're not one. (Well, all of us are human except for one of us in this residence...)"

"(Don't say that, rooster-head!)" Megumi pinched Sano.

"Megumi and Sano are right! And you may be a 'buso', but at leasy I'll have a sparing partner now that you're here!"

Despite the fact that Yahiko had just called her "buso" again, Kaoru couldn't help but smile at the younger boy's spunk.

Misao jumped up from her seat and wrapped an arm around Kaoru. "Don't worry about anything, Kaoru! As long as you stay with us, you'll be alright!"

And at that moment, a gust of wind swept through the room at the arrival of Kenshin, whose piercing amber eyes shot straight through Kaoru's. One could see Kaoru's heat beating faster and faster against her chest, as she tried desperately to ivade the basilisk gaze of the assassin in the doorway.

"Who told you you could leave your room?" he asked coldly.

Kaoru couldn't speak. That lump found its way in her throught again. It didn't really matter: Kaoru didn't think any answer would satisfy him.

"Who?" he snapped.

She couldn't find herself to talk, but she could find herself to cry again. Luckily, all tears halted when her savior spoke up.

"I did," Misao spoke up, squeezing Kaoru's bare shoulders lightly, a signal that Misao and the others really would look out for her.

Kenshin's gaze turned to Misao. Her body jolted for a split second when their eyes met, but she held her ground.

"Why?"

Megumi took the ground after Misao.

"Because we needed an extra stomach to help eat all of this food. Misao with her feeble bones couldn't surely take the girl's share to her room, so she save us (and her body) the trouble by bringing her here. It's a special ocassion anyway." Megumi gave Kenshin a devilish and foxy grin, which was only replied by a snort from Kenshin.

"You expect me to let her slide because of _that_ excuse?" he retorted, glaring at Megumi who lost her grin.

"Maybe not," Sano said as he rose from his seat to place a hand on Megumi, "but you shouldn't intend on inflicting punishment on her just for coming here with us." He clenched his fists. "Or else."

Kenshin's fingers twitched toward the hilt of his wakizashi at Sano's threat. How dare he threaten he, Hitokiri Battousai? He knew that they were on the same side, but Sano's attitude continued to push Kenshin's limits.

Before he could act, it was Yahiko's turn to speak in Kaoru's defense.

"Besides, just because she's your 'prisoner' doesn't mean you can punish her just for this! It's not fair!"

"Silence." Kenshin did not shout, but he said it harshly enough to scare the spirits of death from the room.

"Don't any of you cross the line between me and **my **assignments. The next one who does, will regret it." Kenshin didn't bother threatening them with his wakizashi: his murderous voice did the job for him. Still, the four residences of the house stood around their new friend firmly, forgetting any threats toward their wellbeing for hers. _"Why are they defending this tramp so much?" _asked the Battousai. Kenshin dismissed what his parasite said and glared on at the five, concentrating his glare on the cerulean eyes in the center. _I need to get her alone..._

"All of you leave, **now**. I'll deal with you all later," he commanded. The group sighed, and stood to leave his presence as soon as possible, when he halted the group. "The girl stays."

Kaoru's heart sunk at the fact that she would have to be alone in a room again with him. The group glanced back at her worridly. They really didn't want to leave her alone with Kenshin... But they had no choice. Misao grabbed Kaoru by the shoulders in reassurance.

"We'll be right outside Kaoru," she said softly into Kaoru's ear. "Don't show any fear."

One by one, they filed out; Yahiko, Megumi and Misao glancing down as they passed Kenshin, Sano glaring back at Kenshin with the same ferocity as he. Soon, Kenshin closed the door - locking it - and once again, Kaoru found herself alone with her kidnapper - Hitokiri Battousai.

Afraid of what he might do to her for going out of her prison room, Kaoru stood silently, closing her eyes and grasping the hem of her night gown. She felt his foot steps softly but powerfully tremble the tatami as he approached her. Though her eyes remained closed, she could feel his aura circling around her form like a vulture, eyeing her body up and down. He stop in front of her. Kaoru remembered Misao's words of advice: don't show fear. So she breathed deeply to dislodge the lump in her throat, and waited for whatever punishment he had for her.

Kenshin looked at her from here black tresses that draped gracefully down her chest and back, to her petite and pale feet. He sensed that her ki was frightened - most likely at the thought of what he was going to do to her - but was slowly rising in courage. Kenshin suddenly groaned quietly. He felt the Battousai coming back after sensing the girl's strong ki. More than likely, the Battousai wanted to toy with her.

And the toying began.

Kenshin took a notice to Kaoru's new garments. The soft pink gown had intricate lace across the hem and bust, and it was about four inches above her knees. The bust gave her breasts a succulent form, and the rest of the gown showed her slim curve. The gown in its entirity was held up by two lacy ribbons as straps. Kenshin gave a seductive smirk after scrutinizing her body.

"That's a nice gown you're wearing," Kenshin suspiciously complimented, twisting his smirk so it would appear like a gentleman's smile. His smile looked faithful, but in her heart Kaoru knew that he was decieving her in order to make a fool out of her. She decided to humor him and comply.

"Th-thank you," Kaoru answered quietly, avoiding eye contact with Kenshin. Just then, kenshin circled around to her back. A slight shiver went down Kaoru's body as he stroked her soft, raven hair, and she bit her lip in anticipation as she felt his rough - but gentle-like - hands glide down her smooth arms.

"But I think you looked just fine in the adjustments I made to your previous night wear," he said, referring back to the revealing rip he made in her camisole. He knelt toward Kaoru's ear and breathed into it, smirking seductively again. "Or with nothing on."

Kenshin didn't expect to feel a hot sting to his cheek when Kaoru lost her mask of innoncence at his last comment. She turned around to face him, glaring at him the whole time. By striking coincidence, Kaoru slapped him across his left cheek, where the cruciform scar was engraved, and as he held his hand to his cheek, his amber eyes roared rage as he slowly glared up. The courage that flowed like water in her cerulean eyes was soon evaporated when his orbs of fire met hers.

"You girl," he began, grabbing her wrists harshly, "made a mistake." He then shoved Kaoru to the tatami, making her land on her side. The harsh land made Kaoru's short night gown flare further up her thigh, revealing her undergarment to him. Though he was vexed, Kenshin couldn't help but grin at the sight of Kaoru's semi indecensy, and as she noticed his leering eyes trailing over her hips as she smoothed out her gown to hid her white-laced panties, Battousai couldn't help but say another lewd comment and lick his lips at her chastely, enticing body.

_"We could teach her a lesson right now. The wench is practically asking for it with her clothes."_

Kenshin ignored him by erasing his grin from his face and continuing to glare at Kaoru, though not with the same ferocity as earlier. When he closed in closer to Kaoru's fallen form, practically hovering over her, he reached for, intending to grab her. "You will show me respect in my house, _girl_." Seeing his hand drawing closer to her body, her flow of courage returned to her orbs, and she slapped his hand away from her. Kenshin let out a growl from his clenched teeth as he withdrew his hand and held it. He glared at her, not with ferocity, but with annoyance.

"Why you-!" he was stopped abruptedly by a hand in his face. Kaoru had managed to rise on her feet once more and found herself point blank in front of Kenshin.

"Let me make one thing straight," Kaoru announced, "you kidnapped me, making me your 'prisoner.' But I'm not your personal toy, so don't bother trying 'cause I'll kick your ass before you do anything to me!" Kenshin tried to say something but could not before she starting yelling in his face again. "I'll show you respect when you show me the proper respect! And a last thing-!" she got really close to his face to make her final statement, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me girl! I have a name, you know!"

For the first time, Kenshin looked dumbfoundedly at the girl who just scolded his wits out. Confusion was written all over his face, along with his shocked, wide eyes. Kaoru continued to glare angrily at him. She had a fiery personality, he could give her that much, even though water flowed through her eyes. Kenshin twisted his lip.

"Well," he said, "are you going to tell me your name?"

Kaoru irked at the back of her head. How could she be so proud of her triumphant speech when she didn't bother telling him her name? Stupidity was written all over her face momentarily.

"It's, Kaoru." She murmured her name quietly, as she brought her hand up to scratched her arm. She diverged her eyes from his, as she felt her cheeks flush light red from embarrasment.

"Hmp." he responded. Kenshin ran his fingers through his blazing red bangs, sighing in slight aggravation. "Why Misao let you out of your room, I care not," he said with his eyes closed, while walking toward the door. "You will follow me to your room again. This time, I'll lock the door to make sure you don't escape."

In direct violation to his order, Kaoru didn't move. She stood her ground. Kenshin stopped at the shoji. He turned his head slightly around to eye her from the corner of his eye.

"Well?" he said loudly.

Kaoru's lip trembled. She felt like crying at what she was about to say next.

"Why?" she said, her head facing the floor, eyes covered by her bangs. "It's not like I have anywhere to escape to. I wouldn't go back to that place if you forced me to."

She clenched her hem as her hands trembled. "I may hate being your captive - I may even hate you - but... I won't leave your property." A single tear streaked down her cheek. "Not after meeting people who actually treat me like a human and not an object."

Kaoru's last sentence struck him.

_Like a human being._

Kenshin continued to face the shoji. Did this girl just give up her freedom on her own free will just to stay with him- or, to put it more correctly, to stay with the residents? Her will to be treated kindly that great that she would live with him under the same roof? But she was his asssignment: the only reason for her staying in his manor was for him to present her to Katsura, his employer.

But, her eyes...

Those orbs of water, when collided with his orbs of fire, formed a sensation of steam, and oddly enough, a sensation that Kenshin longed for, even though he never knew he wanted it.

Besides, all she wanted was a little freedom. He decided he would give it to her. For the time being.

"You may be allowed to roam the manor," he granted. Kaoru looked up, shocked that he granted her permission outside of her room. A smile started to form on her face when he continued to talk. "But," he began, "you cannot roam down the West Wing. If you enter," he placed his hand on the hilt of his wakizashi. Kenshin did not need to proceed with the threat, for he sense from Kaoru's ki that she understood.

As he proceeded to unlocking and opening the shoji, he was stopped by her voice.

"Um..." she began. Kaoru stalled for words, she was sure of what she wanted to ask him earlier, but now she was a little startled about speaking to him.

"What?" he forced out of his mouth directly, hoping that it would motivate her to speak.

It did.

"Um, I was just wondering, since i told you my name, could you please tell me your name?" Kaoru's request started off strongly, but then trickled to a softer tone when she got to actual request.

He paused, still staring at the shoji.

"It's Battousai."

Kaoru flinched at his name. She too, was another resident of Kyoto who was familiar with his infamous skill in the underworld. But she did not keep this from properly introducing herself.

"My name is Kamiya Kaoru." She bowed. "It's nice to meet you."

After pausing for a few more seconds, Kenshin exited the room, leaving her all alone. She turned on her heel away from the door, in case her friends came back and saw her blushing bright red across her cheek. Bringing her finger to her lips in order to lightly bite it, Kaoru thought, _when I look at him in the light, he looks really... handsome._

Kaoru wanted to mentally slap herself, but she didn't.

She actually liked thinking this way about this man.

"Battousai..."

_I had to get out of there quickly, before I could release the blush that I predicted would grow deeper than my red hair. When I was safely in the courtyard, away from the rest of the household (who lingered in the vacinity of the parlor; Sano glaring at me the entire time.), I sighed, gazing up at the blue sky. _

_She actually wanted to know my name._

_Kaoru..._

_"Fragrant"..._

_A perfect name for a being with the scent of jasmine._

_I replay the image of her body over in my mind. In both the moonlight and the sunlight, her body glows. Although I was chafted at the Battousai's unbefitting remarks, I couldn't help but be glad for being so close to her beautiful form. _

_I want to be closer to her, in soul and body._

_"Bid your time Himura," the Battousai replied._

_"Soon, we will be." _

_I know what the Battousai meant by that. _

_And as usual, it nerves me to rage._

_Unfortunately, even I don't know what the future brings for her... Or me. _

_But for now, I must wait._

* * *

One thing that bugged me about this chapter: the way I wrote Megumi. Didn't she seem a little ooc to you? To tell you the truth, I was gonna write her little mini speech toward Kaoru's crying like how she scolded her in the original canon, but I didn't see it neccessary for such a trivial situation as Kaoru crying. W/e. Maybe somewhere inthe future plot... 


	9. Charged

Damn.

It is too much work to think of crap to write next.

With all of my fanfics.

Don't worry, I'm not ditching them.

And thank you all for the reviews. Sadly though, I have to be honest when I say that I'm a little upset that my AU fic is getting more attention than my near canon based fics. Is this a sign that those suck, or are you guys just not into close to canon fics? I'm not being a bitch or anything, I'm just kindly, "suggesting" that you check them out sometime (though, I wouldn't be surprised if the lot of you don't really like The Snowfall's Reflection much. I lost the mood to write it.) Anyway, the rest of chapter three of An Unkept Memory will be up very soon, so sit tight.

Anywho, to Silva-san and to those it may concern about the question of Kenshin forgetting Kaoru's name but clearly saying her name in chapter three (four?):

Yeah. You're right. He did say her name, but I was trying to insinuate the notion that Battousai didn't really care to remember her name after saying it only once: he only really cares about the assignment. I mean, if I had to kill just about every night, I wouldn't really be too held up in remembering my victims' names, now would I? Ya know, you stalk your victim in the dark, you come out of the shadows, make the I'm-going-to-proceed-in-killing-you-now speech (only saying said victim's name once), swish/slice, it's over and you live to kill another night. Just look at the manga canon where Kenshin killed Tomoe's fiance. Akira said her name right before Kenshin stabbed him like hot dog on a grill, and Kenshin just remembered that Akira said Tomoe's name AFTER she died. But, it was pretty silly of me not to include the detail in the beginning of this chapter. I could edit it... But I already weaseled my way around it.

So we get to get a glimsp of Kaoru's Cinderella-like nature in this chapter. Much more of it will appear, since this fanfic is a combo of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. I have so many ideas for this stupid fic... I need to make an outline.

And just a note, I don't have this beta-d, and the word processor I use for this does not have a spell check (Gay won't accept Microsoft Word Processor), so yeah.

Enjoy and happy Singles' Awareness Day.

(Oh hey! I got the English Kanze ban version of Rurouni Kenshin. It's ok. Not as good as the Japanese Version though...)

* * *

Kaoru hurried as quietly as she could down the dark corridor of the apartment. Checking the time on her clock, she made her way toward her apartment. Breath came as short pants from her mouth as she panted from tiredness and nervousness. She checked her clock again. It was almost ten minutes to ten. If she got home in time, perhaps she could avoid a confrontation with Kihei.

"Yeah right," Kaoru said to herself, rolling her eyes. "Like coming home ten minutes before curfew is going to please that fatass," she muttered to herself as she fumbled through her coat pockets looking for her keys. Kaoru felt her hands trembling as they sifted through the pockets. As she neared the vacinity of the door, Kaoru exhale and inhaled as passively as possible, but her heart would not calm. Kaoru admitted that she talked so crudely and strongly toward Kihei in order to make her self feel bigger and better than he. It hid the fact that in reality, she dreaded confronting him, because she knew that it would always lead to one thing...

Shaking her head to clear her mind of pejorative thoughts, Kaoru found the key and slid it into the keyhole. She closed her eyes and repeated to herself quietly, "Be strong Kaoru. It'll all be over soon. Don't show him any fear. Don't flinch. Don't tremble. Don't cry."

When she opened the door, she found the front room to be perfectly still and silent. Perhaps Kihei decided to go out and drink. In that case, Kaoru didn't want to be seen when he came back, so she walked to her room with hast, until Kihei appeared from behind a corner. Kimono wide open and revealing his grizzly and bulging belly, Kihei stared drunken at her, with a jug of sake in one hand. So it appeared that Kihei decided to become intoxicated at home.

And he was not happy.

"And where have you been?" he asked, voice clearly fuddled.

Kaoru went according to her usual plan of not showing any emotion. "I was at work. You said I had to be back by ten, and I came in at nine-fifty. Ms. Tae was kind enough to let me off at nine-thirty. I'll be off to my room now."

Kaoru could take one step before Kihei exploded.

"Meaning that your pay had to be docked?!"

She glared and looked straight ahead into the hallway, toward her room. "Well what do you want me to do? Be back before ten and have less pay or have more pay and be back after ten? You decide." Kaoru smirked and spoke quietly. "Either way that still leaves you dirt cheap."

Before she knew it, Kaoru's head was inches away from the sake jug, which collided into the wall behind her. She ducked from the flying shards and the spraying liquid, but couldn't escape one shard that cut her on her knee cap. She would have flinched from the cut if it hadn't been for the smack to her face that was delivered by Kihei. Kaoru backed into the wall from the smack and felt the burning sensation on her cheek.

"Don't talk back to me, bitch!" Kihei shouted in a drunken rage. "Don't you forget who's putting up for your skanky ass around here!" Kihei was hoping to strike fear into her heart, but all he recieved was an intent glare from cerulean eyes, as if they were waves pounding against the rocky shoreline. Twitching his eye, Kihei reached his hand to grab Kaoru's collar.

"Give me your pay. All of it."

Never taking her eyes from his, Koaru dove her hand into her coat pocket and grabbed her paycheck. She slammed the thin envelope into his sweaty and pudgy palm, hoping that he would then let her go and be on her way. Unfortunately, Kihei wasn't having it tonight, who - as she tried to slip away from his vicinity - grabbed her coat sleeve and pulled her toward his drunken gaze again.

"I said all of it, bitch."

"I just gave you all of it."

"You're lying," he said loudly and fiercely. This was rather odd. Usually, Kihei would have just taken her paycheck and left it at that, unless of course he found another reason to strike Kaoru. This night, he seemed desperate. Desperate enough to rip her jacket off. Kaoru spiraled to the floor as Kihei greedily rummaged through the coat pockets, but found nothing. Then, Kihei noticed that Kaoru's arm, which were at first to her side after he tore her jacket off from them, were tucked behind her. Yes_, he suspected in his mind. _She's hiding something...

"Show me your hands."

Kaoru just stared at him with a dumbfounded but smart alec look. "Why?"

"Don't play smart, bitch. You're hiding something from me. Show it to me."

Still, Kaoru stared at him, refusing move. This sent Kihei over the edge as he approached Kaoru and grabbed at her blouse, ripping it enough to expose her undergarment.

"I said give it to me!" he yelled in as he backhanded her sending to the floor. The impact caused her to release the grip on her hand, revealing a gold yen piece. Gazing at it greedily, he bent over it snatched it, inspecting it's worth. In then hid it in his pocket and began to walk toward his room, though not before harshly stepping on Kaoru's shoulder blade, making her thrive in pain. That would leave a bruise.

"That's what you get for disrespecting me, whore. I don't know where you managed to get this much money, but remember: Nothing is yours in this house."

After Kihei waddled to his room, hopefully retiring until next afternoon, Kaoru turned on her back, gasping for a breath. One hand empty, Kaoru placed a clutched hand on her exposed chest. Luckily, Kaoru was apply to hide the other trinket that she had been hiding from Kihei's clutches. Kaoru oened her hand to reveal a small wooden locket on a gold chain. The edges of the locket were gilded with real gold, and a resin picture of a cherry blossom tree and a crane was encrested on the front. She placed her thumb nail on the latched, opening it. Inside was a picture of a tall, muscular, bearded man in a turqouise gi and white hakama. Sitting in a chair next to him was a beautiful woman with lucious black hair and ice blue eyes in a white and yellow kimono. On her lap was a little girl, no older than three, smiling cheerfully at the camera.

A happiness long since forgotten.

Kaoru traced the tip of her fingernail along the picture, as hot tears seared through her eyes, trying to escape. Tears of saddness and anger.

"Mother... Father..." Kaoru whispered. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to retain the tears, but couldn't.

I'm so sorry!... That I'm so weak!

* * *

It was twilight when Kaoru awoke, only to find her not on the floor of the living hell she had to live in for most of her life, but in her cold empty room (which she didn't really have to call a "prison" anymore) of the Battousai's manor. She gazed up at the dark ceiling, then turned on her side to light the lantern at the side of her futon, hoping to get some light as well as some warm. As soon as the cold air hit her bare skin, however, Kaoru dove back under the covers. She'd have to ask about the heating in this room.

The only thing warm on her body was wet and on her cheeks, and as Kaoru reached up toward her face, she realized what it was.

Tears.

She had been crying in her sleep again, probably from that dream, though it had been reality just two nights ago. Kihei had taken all of her money that night, even the gold piece that Ms. Tae had given her for all of Kaoru's hard work at the Akebeko (though Kaoru suspected hidden pity behind the money too.). Touching her hand over her shoulder blade, Kaoru pressed down on the spot with two fingers. The direct response was jolt of pain in the area. The bruise was still there. Kaoru wondered how long it would last, when something hit her mind. She reached down into her breast and pulled out the locket. Fortunately, something had stayed with her from that night.

The locket was a secret. So secret that she hid it at all cost, and not just because it had precious metal that could be scrapped and sold for petty, selfish money. Though the picture was no bigger than a piece of hard candy, this was the only picture that Kaoru had of her parents and herself. All others had either been lost or destroyed by Kihei. This, was truely the one thing that Kaoru treasured the most, even more treasured than Kaoru's mother's hair ribbon, even more treasured than her father's bokken. Her favorite outfit didn't even make the list, no matter how nice it was or how much money it costed. If it weren't for this locket, Kaoru could shamefully admit that she would not have been able to remember her parents' faces (albeit the picture was still small, which caused Kaoru to squint to see her mother and father's faces in detail.).

But that didn't mean that Kaoru was not saddened at the fact that her parent's only belongings were not with her, especially her mother's ribbon, which she was wearing in the picture. As for her father's bokken... Well, what did Kaoru need it for. It's not as if her father was with her long enough to train her in Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. Why else would Kaoru not be able to defend herself against a slothe like Kihei?

Hot, new tears trickled down Kaoru's cheek as she clenched her fist gently around the locket.

"I must be strong," Kaoru encouraged herself. "Crying won't help you accomplish anything. ...Though I have nothing to accomplish in this life... And-"

She sniffled as more tears came. Why did she - who was apparently strong willed - have to be so weak, that she cried at almost anything? She knew that if things in her life had turned out differently...

Though there were a few more hours until dawn, Kaoru tried to go back to sleep, but found that she couldn't. She was too awake and too upset. Bracing herself for the exposure of cold air to her skin, Kaoru jumped from under the covers and headed for the shoji, closing it behind her. Kaoru tried to be as quiet as possible, but found it impossible since there was an echo that resonated the sound of the shutting shoji. But, it wasn't as if anyone would be wakened by it: the next room was several doors down and everybody was apparently fast asleep.

"Except probably Mister Dark-and-Gloomy," Kaoru thought aloud. She tried not to think of Battousai as little as possible. After their little confrontation yesterday, Kaoru came to the conclusion that they were better off as far away from each other as possible. But how long was he going to keep her there? And what for? And who was this "employer" of his? A mob boss no doubt, since all of Kyoto was practically ruled by the Underworld. And everybody in this manor had gang affiliates... But they all seemed like such nice people. Sure, Megumi seemed a little bit iffy, Sano was a bottomless pit, that brat Yahiko was just annoying, and Misao, though kind and sweet, was a little sugar high.

But Kaoru wasn't shown kindness very much, aside from Ms. Tae and Tsubame. And Kaoru was quite glad that the number had just been increased by four.

Now Kaoru had to occupy herself. What was there to do? She couldn't wake Misao and the others at this hour, and it was too chilly outside to wander the manor court yards, and Kaoru had never been much of TV person...

As she drifted through the hall, thinking of something busy herself without disturbing the others, Kaoru felt something wet under her foot. Stepping up, she noticed a faint reflective surface on the floor, then a splash on her head.

Water.

A puddled had formed over night from a crack in the sealing. Kaoru dragged her foot along the dry part of the floor, only to notice a smudge of dirt right next to where her foot stood. Avoiding it, Kaoru realized, as she spun three-sixty on her bare heel, just how dirty this place was. For a nicely designed manor, this place was only slightly better than Kihei's place (though Kaoru didn't want to make a worse comparision). A manor this big had no servents to tend to it?

Finding a discarded rag on the floor, Kaoru picked it up and mopped up the puddle, using the moisture on the rag to clean the smudge of dirt. After doing so, Kaoru folded the rag neatly and sat it on a nearby table - ridding her of her duty as a maid - only to find how dusty the table was. Kaoru groaned. She by no means wanted to be a maid in a place she was forced to stay. Weren't those men doing anything around here?! But she suppose that they did have work, and since they were nice to her...

Kaoru hadn't released that while she thought this, she had already wipped the table top clean, moving onto another dirty fixture in the vacinity.

* * *

Even though we are a manor apart, I feel her.

Kaoru is hurting, like me.

But why?...

I shake my head. Why do you care so much? It's not like she anything more important than an assignment.

I wait for an asinine remark from the Battousai. No response.

And, it's not as if she will be staying here long for any of that.

Previous day - Mid- afternoon

Each and every time Kenshin walked into Ishin Shishi headquaters, a whole legion of weary eyes would linger on him, but always avoiding his piercing eyes of death directly. Kenshin had gotten use to this treatment, but still played back in his mind that this was how a whole gang would act toward him: cowardly. Of course, he understood why. He was_ the Hitokiri Battousai, the Choshu Gangs most powerful weapon, and he killed thrice as many men than they ever would. But Kenshin did not know if his fellow comrades were proud of him for his slaughtering skills, despised him, or feared him. Kenshin prefered the two latter. He was not proud of himself for what he did. _

As if the rest of the Ishin Shishi had a right to despise him for killing. He was killing for their _cause: Just another gang rivalry in order to rule Japan from the shadows. And it's not as if he joined the Ishin Shishi on his own accord... _

By the time Kenshin reached Kogoro Katsura's private quarter for their almost daily meeting, Katsura had already finished a cup of tea, looking as relaxed as ever. He always looked relaxed. He didn't have to kill nearly every night.

"Ah, Himura-san, you have arrived," Katsura greeted him, beckoning him to take a seat on the mat across from him. "Would you like some tea Himura-san? You look awfully tense today."

"No, Katsura-san," Kenshin replied with a get-to-the-point voice.

Katsura shrugged and slid the tea tray aside, preparing to talk business. "Nicely done with the Kanyru assignment last night, Himura-san. With him out of the way, his army will soon crumble and we can soon claim their territory as our own." Hoping that Katsura wouldn't be expecting him to be happy about murdering again, Kenshin gave a solomn and silent - but disdainful - bow to his superior.

"I take it that the Onibanwashu of Tokyo are also deceased?"

Kenshin waited a few seconds before speaking. "Yes... All except for one." He stalled again as Katsura's anticipation grew. "Shinomori Aoshi."

Katsura's eyes widened. "Shinomori sided with the Onibanwashu of Tokyo?!"

"It appeared so," Kenshin said laxly.

"How could you let Shinomori escape?" Katsura questioned Kenshin.

"Certain circumstances faltered me from confronting him one last time," Kenshin replied, "but need I remind you that my sole assignment that night was to take Kanryu's life and any enemy who stood in the way, as I have done so."

Looking at his hired assassin rather afrontly for his answer, Katsura nodded, frowning. "Very well, I guess that explains why Shinomori took so long with the peace conference between the two Onibanwashu clans. But I assume that you took care of the Tokyo Onibanwashu?"

"Yes... I _did." Kenshin did not hesitate saying this in fear that Katsura might detect that he was fabricating the idea that Tokyo Onibanwashu stood in the way of his assignment. Yes, the Tokyo Onibanwashu did serve as a baracade for Kanryu, but it was fated that they would die a rather dishonorble death as thugs by the gun of their own employer, but an honorable death as ninjas by protecting their leader, Aoshi. _

After attempting to read Kenshin's emotionless face, Katsura left the conversation be.

"On other business, did you take care of Hiruma Kihei earlier that night?"

Kenshin anticipated that question: he wanted to get to the subject of Kaoru. Though he had to admit that he probably would not have remembered that short hog's name if the name Katsura just mentioned hadn't rung a bell.

"I was ready to kill him, Katsura-san," Kenshin began, "but there was a change of plan. At the last minute, he did have payment."

An eyebrow raised on Katsura's forhead. "It's about time Hiruma got his debts to the Ishin Shishi repayed. How much did he give you?"

Kenshin wasn't sure how Katsura would react to his next reply. "His payment wasn't money, Katsura-san. It was his daughter."

"Daughter?!" Katsura asked wide-eyed. Kenshin gave Katsura's expression an eyebrow. Was he mad or just flabbergasted?

"Are you displeased at Hiruma's form of payment, Katsura-san?"

"Not very, Himura-san. It's just that - well, I guess you can say that I'm surprised at the fact that somebody would have the pitiful desperation to save themself from their own fault at the expense of their children," Katsura then added, "That, and we have no records of Hiruma Kihei having any family aside from a younger brother."

Kenshin raised both eyebrows, but still retaining a cool expression, at the revelation of this new fact. So. Kihei is not Kaoru's biological father, as I suspected.

Storing that piece of information in his mind for later use, Kenshin asked the question that he was begging to hear an answer for. "What do you plan to do with her, Katsura-san? She is, by definition, your property now."

Katsura pursed his lips and eyed the tatami. "Well, in all honesty, I've never owned a person_ before, so I do not know at the moment." Kenshin cursed in his mind. He needed to know for how much longer that woman would be staying under his roof. Katsura continued to speak. _

"Perhaps an audience is at hand for this situation. Bring her to me tomorrow, and I'll give you a response in one week. Until then, she is your charge."

Narrowed golden eyes closed in on Katsura's face at the sound of the word, "charge".

"Meaning...-"

"Yes. This girl is under your protection Himura-san."

"But Katsura-san. My job is kill, not to protect," Kenshin landed on his employer.

"Change of jobs then," Katsura declared. "After the Kanyru assignment, missions won't be as high profile, so I will have no need for your skills for awhile. After all, you were the one who implied that this girl..." Katsura tried to finish his statement with a name, but he did not recall Kenshin mentioning it.

"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru," Kenshin supplied.

"Ah yes. Kamiya-san is 'my property' now, and I would hate for my property to get damaged." Katsura ended it with a small smirk, to which Kenshin replied with a small frown.

"It is your duty to protect Kamiya-san until then, Himura-san. You are dismissed."

Finally, _Kenshin thought, while bowing, then lifting himself from the mat, heading toward the shoji. Before he could step out of the room, however, Katsura stopped him. _

"Two more things before you leave, Himura-san," Katsura added at the last minute. Kenshin waited, not turning his head around.

"One: restrain yourself, Battousai_." Katsura directed this at the demon within Kenshin. Though Katsura couldn't see it, Kenshin's face smirked at Katsura's warning, albeit it wasn't Kenshin who was smirking. _

"And lastly: do not get too close to her, Himura-san." Kenshin turned his head around to meet Katsura serious countenance, but gave Katsura the same look as well. With that, Kenshin turned around and proceeded with closing the shoji door behind him, not glancing back at his superior.

"Today..." I say to myself.

After the meeting with Katsura, I'm not sure what I'm feeling. I'm still irritated that I will not be getting any feedback about the fate of Kaoru for a week, but at least I won't have to kill.

But for a rare moment, I am worried about that turn of events.

But if I kill in order to protect...

But am I more worried about my own well-being, or Kaoru's?

I shake my head vigorously. "She's just an assignment, she's just an assignment..." I repeat to myself. No matter how beautiful she is, she is nothing than a mere charge: an object that I have to keep safe for it's rightful owner.

I will heed Katsura's warnings, but not for the reasons he intended.

I will not allow the same thing to happen twice...

Just as I think this, my head starts to ache intensely. It is not from the Battousai though. It's from something else. The pain then travels down to my left cheeked, to my scar. I cover my scar with my fingers hoping to soothe the pain from the warmth. Little do I know that smears of blood stain my fingers. I remove my fingers to reveal the paint of life and death.

"Damn, it's happened again," I mutter to myself as I grab a kerchief to clean my scar.

I need to clear my mind. I need as much valuable time with my thoughts before the Battousai makes his entrance.

He won't be very happy.

I get up from the wall, and look outside. It's almost dawn. Just then, I sense Kaoru's ki. She's not in her room anymore, but is traveling up and down the hall. What is she doing?

Anxious, I decide to take a walk to clear my mind. Toward her direction.

Early that morning, Kenshin strode down the hall, making his usual rounds around his vacuous manor. Though it wasn't really his manor. This was the former headquaters for the Ishin Shishi members, originally an inn. Upon recruiting Kenshin, however, their headquaters was relocated. Katsura thought that his top assassin should have his space, though in actuality, many of the Ishin Shishi did not have the emotional competance to sleep under the same roof as the Hitokiri Battousai. They were on the same side, but he was fear by all, especially if one was to get on the Hitokiri's wrong side. Sanosuke with his wife Megumi, Yahiko and Misao were the only ones who bothered to stay and live with him... And he had no idea why.

One crazy thought was that they actually enjoyed living with him. Of course, Kenshin dismissed this when he concidered how much he interacted with them (which was hardly ever except for missions with Sano and medical check-ups by Megumi). More like they enjoyed living with each other - not him. Noone was ever comfortable living with a half demonic shadow assassin. It just astonished him that they had the courage to do so, albeit it was a big manor, and the group situated their living space a good distance away from his quarter in the West Wing.

The most plausible explanation was that they were there for strict business. They all had a reason for being there: Sanosuke was often partnered up with Kenshin on small raids (Much to Kenshin's chagrin. He preferred to work alone.). Naturally, Megumi would stay by his side to support him (Though most of the time it seemed she discouraged him from doing risky behavior. That would mean more wounds to heal, which, despite looking annoyed each time he wrapped his waste with gauge, broke her heart.). Yahiko had his own personal reason for staying in his manor, and Misao- well, she sure wasn't forced to live there. More like she chose to live with her friends. Her real home was at the Aoi-ya, which was the Oniwabanshu's Kyoto headquaters, with her gaurdians. She only stayed to wait for Aoshi... Who would not be coming back anytime soon after the Kanryu assignment.

Nonetheless, he didn't care who lived where. As long as they didn't wander into _his_ domain - the West Wing - and as long as they didn't interfere with his mission...

Speaking of mission, wasn't he looking for the girl: Kaoru? Kenshin's mind had drifted as his eyes scowered the corridors. He had felt her ki all the way from his room, and yet, she was nowhere in sight. Why was he so concerned about seeing this girl? It's not like she was anything important other than an assignment. But, she was his responsibility. For the time being.

Finally, after wandering the halls, Kenshin finally found Kaoru, only she wasn't doing what he expected her to be doing (which was wandering aimlessly, like how he wanted to appear to be doing.). Instead she was scrubbing the wood floors vigorously with a rag, that appeared to be on its thread, concidering how dirty it was. He was stunned to see how dazzling the hall was in her path: it was literally spotless.

Still, Kenshin couldn't help but wonder why the hell she was doing this in the first place. So, he decided to find out in his own way.

Kaoru was kneeling on the floor, scrubbing a stubborn patch of wood that refused to glisten like other patches. Before announcing his presence, Kenshin got a good view of her slender back and round bottom and smirked. He was pretty happy that she was still wearing that pink night gown from the previous day.

Those thoughts aside, it was time to, "greet" her for the morning.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kenshin asked, though not in a harsh tone, more of questionably-annoyed tone.

At the sound of the voice from behind her, Kaoru jumped up, to face those golden eyes, but they were not as fierce looking. Kaoru got opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She was frightened (even though she really didn't want to be near Battousai), rather, she didn't know what to say. She got her thoughts together and gave her a response.

"Apparently a job that nobody around here does."

Kenshin twitched his eye at her answer. He wasn't expecting that.

"It's not necessary for you to do that. We have maintenance to take care of it."

Kaoru looked at him with a blank stare, then down at the soiled rag, then back up at him.

"When was the last time they did that? During the Warring States?"

Again, Kenshin irked his eye and grunted at her snide remark. He rubbed his bangs.

"Whatever. Do what you like," he said rolling his eyes. "I was just saying that while you're here, you don't _have_ to do anything."

"I figured that," Kaoru said, eyes directed toward the floor. "It's just that- I clean when I'm upset or aggrevated when the option comes up."

Raising an eyebrow, Kenshin stared at her, reflecting on how he felt her agitated ki earlier. When she raised her head to meet his, he lowered his brow and resumed his lax but stern face.

"Very well. It's dawn now, so the others will be up. You should go to them," Kenshin said, spinning on his heel and preparing to resume down the hallway. Before that, he turned to Kaoru, eyeing her fairly disarrayed and filthy state from cleaning non-stop. Her once soft, flowing hair was tangled from sweat, with cobwebs also tangled amidst the strands. He could see that the lavender pink gown had patches of dust and dirt smeared on it, and her skin looked none too clean either.

"After breakfast, take a bath," he ordered, Kaoru responding with low scoff. "And get dressed afterward. We're going to meet someone."

Kaoru's eyes widened slightly. "Who?"

"My employer."

* * *

Yo dudes. I think this chapter is a turning point for the story. The turning point of INFINATE PLOTHOLES! (woooooo!) Each chapter, I will reveal plothole after plothole, sending my esteemed readers into a spiral of neverending anxiety and confusion!! Haha. Sorry guys. I will try to limit them, but it's all for the element of suspense. Plus with all of these new ideas sprouting... Mmmmmmm you're just gonna hafta what until next time. Until then. 


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